Louisa's Past 1
by ArtemisApollo97
Summary: Louisa, my OC. She's a free roaming demigod who has a 'fight first, ask questions later' attitude. She ran away from an orphange at the age of five and survives for the next four years on gut instinct and voices in her head. What happens after that? PLEASE READ AND REVIEW! :D :P
1. Orphanage

**This is Louisa's past. I thought I'd get it out so people can know where she's been and why she and Percy were separated at birth. **

Loud knocking early in the morning woke Katie. She opened the door, leaving the chain on. There was no-one on the doorstep.

A soft whimpering caught her attention. Katie looked down and gasped. Wrapped in a soft blue blanket in a cardboard box was a new-born baby. Katie quickly took the chain off and scooped the baby up.

Katie looked up and down the street, feeling eyes on her. Directly across the street, concealed in an alleyway was the silhouette of a well-built man. Katie blinked and it was gone.

She looked back at the infant, noticing a small, folded piece of paper tucked into the wraps of the blanket. Carefully removing it and unfolding it, Katie read:

_Her name is Louisa. Take good care of her. _

Katie shot the streets another searching look, before taking Louisa inside.

Five years had passed.

Louisa had grown into a strong, independent young girl, with a heck of a violent streak. She struggled to get along nicely with the other children and if you upset her, you'll have bruises to prove it.

It took a lot of restraint and six doctor visits before Louisa was diagnosed with ADHD. The medication helped, causing a gradual decrease in Louisa's temper and violence. But that didn't mean she was a perfectly behaved girl.

When she started school, she refused to take the medication, insisting she didn't need it. She didn't sit still in class and she struggled with the work.

A week later she was diagnosed with dyslexia.

Katie heard screams coming from upstairs. Dropping the empty pan on the floor, she ran out the room and up the stairs as fast as she could. She entered the playroom to see most of the children, all of various ages, crowding around two children fighting.

It was Louisa and Jack.

The two had never got on. Jack, eight, insisted on aggravating Louisa, six in a few months.

Louisa had managed to floor Jack, who was lanky for his age.

"Take it back!" She shouted, punching him in the face. Katie ran forward and pulled the girl away. Louisa fought against her, trying to break free. "Lemme go!" She ordered.

Katie heard a distinct rumbling from in the walls. As she fought to restrain Louisa, she looked around as the walls started to crack and water seeped out. What the hell was going on?

Water exploded from the walls. In all the commotion- kids falling over each other, getting drenched to the skin- Louisa had escaped.

How she had escaped, bone dry, she wasn't sure. She knew she had caused the plumbing to play up and her gut still hurt from it.

For ten minutes, Louisa ran, a five year old on the loose. She stopped in an alley three blocks away, trying to catch her breath.

She sank to the floor. What was she supposed to do now? Go back?

_No, do not return. _

Louisa started, looking round, pressing her hands to her head. There wasn't anyone else in the alley, but she was as sure as hell that she had heard a man's familiar voice.

Familiar? How could it be familiar if she had never heard it before?

_Go to the sea. You will know what to do. _

A familiar strange voice was telling her to go the sea.

"Why?"

_It is your way home. _

"I don't have a home." Louisa's voice broke as tears threatened to spill.

_You do. You just have to find and fight for it. _

Louisa wiped her eyes on her sleeve. "Where's the sea?" She asked, looking around the alley. She saw the shadow of a man at the end. A gut feeling told her he was watching her. Louisa didn't take her eyes from him.

"You should know." The man said. And to Louisa's amazement, he melted into water and passed her as a sea breeze.

**Sorry its drabbley! I'm working on it! :D **


	2. Dinner party

Louisa was hungry. The fire was ready to be lit, but all she needed was something to cook.

She crawled through the undergrowth on her stomach, the knife in her belt digging into her hip. The quiver of expertly made arrows on her back was a disadvantage if they snagged on a branch. Louisa kept her eyes glued on the young doe. At first, she hadn't liked killing wild animals for food, but what with the monsters that followed her it was a kill or be killed world out here.

Louisa loaded her bow, pulling on the wire quietly. The doe's ears pricked up as a twig broke to its left. Louisa stilled. She hadn't broken that twig.

Before her dinner could escape, Louisa shot it square in the eye. In two seconds, she had jumped out the bush, knife in hand. She silenced the deer before skinning and gutting it. She gathered the best of the fresh meat and went back to her make-shift camp site. It took a few seconds to light the fire and another minute for her to make a sturdy structure for her to roast her dinner on.

The bushes rustled behind her.

"Can't ya wait? I'm havin' me dinner 'ere." The _dracaenae _trio slithered out the bushes. Louisa winced. She didn't like the snake women. Mainly because she didn't like snakes.

"Sssilly girl. Foolisssh demigod." They taunted, spreading out around her before slowly closing in. Louisa got to her feet, still staring at her dinner. Give it… half an hour. Then it'll be good to eat.

Louisa heard the soft scrape of metal as a sword was drawn. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the snake woman on her left dart forward, her curved sword at the ready. Louisa chipped up her knife, catching it in her left hand. The opponent's sword was an inch from her head, when the snake woman froze, a knife in her gut.

"Thanks for the sword." Louisa said, catching the sword as it fell and its previous owner disintegrated. She rounded on the remaining _dracaenae_. They weren't as stupid as their late friend, circling Louisa slowly.

One tested Louisa's patience, feigning with a jab. She lost her sword and her head in a second. Louisa sheathed her knife and kicked up the second sword. "C'mon, ya gotta be a challenge. I'm bored."

The remaining foe hissed angrily, lunging. Louisa leant right, the enemy's sword skimming her ear. She lodged the tip of her left blade under the snake woman's helmet and the other at the hilt of her sword.

"_Kronosss will rissse." _She prophesised. Louisa shrugged.

"Don't know, don't care." She disarmed the opponent and stabbed her sword right through the snake lady's head. "Hey, that look suits ya. Brilliant trick for Halloween." The she-demon melted into yellow dust. "'N' that's a cool trick too." Louisa kicked the dust about for a few minutes before remembering her dinner. She dropped her new weapons and sat down to eat. Occasionally she would get a monster that challenged her and she loved a challenge. But some monsters thought that fighting in greater numbers would unbalance a demigod's courage.

_Not this demigod_, Louisa thought to herself, chewing the well cooked meat.

_You must keep moving. A bigger threat than the _dracaenae _will arrive soon. You are not ready to fight it yet. _

_OK. _ Louisa had learnt not to argue with the man's voice. She didn't eat for a week until she apologized. The man had promised her a two week's supply of food to make up for it and that promise had come true.

Louisa asked him questions when she felt like it, like why the hell were monsters following her around and how did she know to fight with a sword, a knife. How did she know how to shoot and make bows and arrows? She could ask hundreds of questions, but she wouldn't always get answered. Her favourite question was this one:

_How come I can hear you in my head? _

And the man's answer was always the same, always in the jokey tone:

_My godly amazingness. _

Louisa had grown to appreciate having the man's advice around. It did help, especially when there was a new threat or when she was stumped on where to go or what to do.

_There will be a stream five miles to the east. Follow it to the south and you will come to the sea. A boat will be waiting._

_Is it a speed boat?_ She heard the man chuckle in her head. His hearty laugh made her grin.

_Speed boats are fun, but they won't be sea worthy forever. _

_Oh… OK, where am I going?_

_America._

_I'm in America. Anywhere in particular?_

_New York. _

_Ah, sweet. I've always wanted to go there._

_I know. Now, get going. You've wasted a minute's travel time._

_I'm going, I'm going! _

**Again, I apologize for the drabble. In this chapter, Lou's about nine. The knife she has is a simple, celestial bronze hunting knife which she conveniently 'found'- thanks to the 'mysterious man'. **

**Anyway, I'm hoping for this story to pick up a bit, so I'll be grateful if you guys (possibly) reading this stick with me on this. A bit of warning that this could take a while to update, but hopefully I can get bits up occasionally :D **


	3. Goodbye Louisa

Louisa reached the sea without a problem. She looked around at the many sea vessels- ferries, tourist boats, the odd rowing and speed boat, a fancy yatch.

Now which one was hers?

She walked along the docks for a few minutes before noticing another, smaller old fashion boat, one with sails. Its name was _Louisa._

_That's mine, ain't it?_

_What could possibly make you think that? _The man replied. Louisa could hear him smiling.

She jumped down onto the deck and looked around. _This is sweet. _Louisa grinned to herself.

"Hey! What're you doing? That ship ain't good for use! Get off!" Louisa looked round and saw the classic fisherman standing on the dock, waving at her to get off the ship. Louisa cast her eyes around her new vessel.

"No, it's good." She turned and raised her hands. The sails righted themselves, a mop and bucket started washing the deck. The wheel turned to the right and the ropes gave away from the mooring. The man stared at her in awe. What the hell?

A good strong, northern wind filled the sails and Louisa was off. She waved cheekily at the fisherman. "See ya!" She shouted, before jogging to the wheel and taking control.

Three hours later, Louisa was happily sailing along, the sea stretching out in all directions as far as she could and further. She knew her bearings, what was going on with the ship, any obstacles heading her way. All of it came naturally to her.

A sea breeze gently lifted her hair. On her wrist appeared a regular, red hair band. Her favourite colour.

_You mind reader. _Louisa thanked the man and tied her hair up.

_You're welcome. Keep an eye on the horizon._

_Yes sir. _Louisa did as she was told, occasionally diverting her gaze to avoid a reef or rocks.

She followed the sun's movement. Another hour passed before the man's warning had any meaning. Her ship shuddered violently and was nearly capsized as large waves forced her away. Louisa fought to balance the boat, shouting out orders to the ship's invisible crew. They did as she said, changing the angle of the sails, moving heavy objects to weigh down a certain side.

Louisa looked in the direction of what was causing the waves. The torso of a gigantic man rose, water running off of him in torrents and waterfalls. Louisa had to squint up at him. He was a beefy man, with thick curly, dark hair and beard. From the top of his head sprouted two… crab claws? Louisa almost laughed. It looked so funny. In his right hand, he held a wickedly sharp, glowing blue trident.

His tanned chest was bare. He wore golden gauntlets on his wrists that reflected the sunlight, occasionally blinding Louisa.

She raised an arm to shield her eyes.

"Dude, how tall are ya?" The giant glared down at her. His top half rose at least fifty feet from the sea, which was starting to calm now he had stopped moving. "Hold on… ya that Titan dude, Oceanus, ain't ya?"

"So the thick do learn." His voice was deep, strong and loud, shaking Louisa and _Louisa_. He wore a smug expression, which irritated Louisa.

"No, I just recognised ya ugly mug from a book I nicked from the library." Oceanus scowled at her. "Yeah, I went there." He raised his weapon and the sea rose to circle around it. Louisa studied it warily.

_Jump_. The man's voice told her as Oceanus bought his trident down onto the ship. Louisa ran to the edge and fell the twenty or so feet to the waves. _Now swim down. You will know where to go. _

_I will?_ The man stayed silent. Louisa wasn't so sure. OK, she had luckily survived the drop from the ship to the sea. But the pressure and lack of oxygen would kill her, right?

_Left! _The man ordered. Louisa kicked out and swam backwards, narrowly missing Oceanus's weapon. The impact and the power sent her back.

Louisa had to get air, but she wasn't sure if she could reach the surface in time.

Oceanus struck the water again, the edge of the trident slicing a fairly deep gash into her upper right arm. Louisa cursed silently as the wound started to burn and seep blood.

When she was on the verge of blacking out, a large bubble surrounded her. She gasped for air. _Thanks_, she thought, turning her head to check her new wound.

She blinked blankly. Where was it? Her arm still burnt and her sleeve was stained with blood, but there was no injury. _The hell? _She thought, confused.

Louisa looked round to see the wreckage of her ship sinking to the bottom of the ocean. _Oh, I liked that one. Had my name on it._

_Yes. Now Oceanus can say he killed Louisa. _

_Just Louisa?_

_Yes. _

_I can get away with that?_

_You can get away with a great deal more if you focus. _Louisa stared down at the broken ship as it settled on the sea bed. She looked round as Oceanus bought his trident down on her bubble.


	4. Jessica

Louisa awoke on a beach, the sun warming her. She sat up and slowly studied her surroundings.

"Are you OK?" Louisa's head snapped round. It was only a young woman with a kind expression. She had soft, wavy blonde hair and the warmest blue eyes Louisa had ever seen.

"What happened?" Louisa asked, a headache forming.

"I was walking when I saw you in the sea. I wasn't sure how long you had been in the water, but thankfully I managed to get you breathing again."

"Oh… erm… thank-you." The woman smiled warmly. "Err… who are you?"

"I'm Jessica. What's your name?"

"Louisa."

"Nice to meet you, Louisa."

"And you." Louisa got to her feet. "Where am I?"

"Santa Monica beach." Louisa nodded, brushing the sand from her tracksuit bottoms. "Louisa? What were you doing in the sea?"

"Erm… long story. Don't worry."

"Were you alone?" Louisa hesitated. "You were, weren't you?" Louisa nodded slowly, looking down at the sand. "Do you live around here?" Louisa shook her head. "Where's your family?" Louisa shrugged.

"Dunno. Never known 'em." Jessica looked horrified.

"I'm… I'm going to have to take you to the police station, Louisa."

"Aw… really?" Louisa complained.

"I can't leave you homeless. Someone might claim you."

"There ain't no-one ta claim me."

"Well, maybe they can help. Come on." Louisa wasn't going to be rude to someone who had just saved her life. No-one, other than the man, had been this nice to her. "Are you hungry?"

"Erm… a bit, but I'll be alright thanks."

"I can quite easily buy you something to eat on the way if you're hungry, Louisa." Jessica smiled kindly at her, leading her away from the sea. Louisa looked back. Someone- a man- was standing in the surf, watching her with a bemused expression. Louisa blinked at him before waving cheekily. He smiled kindly. "Louisa?" Louisa looked round at Jessica and grinned innocently. They both looked back at the sea. The man was gone. _The guy's ninja. _

Jessica had a five seater Rover.

"Hey, it's my favourite colour!" Louisa grinned. Jessica laughed.

"It's my favourite colour too." Jessica unlocked the car and climbed into the driver's seat. "You can sit shotgun if you want." Louisa's cheeky grin turned grateful and she climbed into the shotgun seat.

Jessica drove for quarter of an hour. She and Louisa made small talk. Louisa wasn't saying much about her past, but she did mention running away from the orphanage at five after punching Jack in the face.

"What did you do that for?" Jessica laughed, almost nervously.

"'Cos the lil' bugger was gettin' on ma nerves." Jessica smiled.

"What was he doing?" Louisa frowned, tilting her head to the side as she thought. Jessica watched the girl out of the corner of her eye.

"I… can't remember…"

"No?"

"No… oh, well. It was ages ago."

"Was it?"

"Yeah."

"How old were you when you ran away then?"

"Five." Jessica was so shocked; she nearly crashed into the car in front, which had stopped at a red light.

"_Five_?" Louisa nodded, chewing her lip. "I thought it was only a little while ago you ran away! How old are you now?"

"Nine."

"So, where have you been the last four years?!"

"Err… here, there and everywhere. In America."

"Did you not have a home? Or a temporary roof over your head?" Louisa shook her head. Jessica paled.

"What's so bad?"

"What did you do for food?" Louisa explained how she had reluctantly hunted. "I didn't really like doin' that, but…" Louisa faltered. Sure, tell a strange woman who saved your life about your past, but to mention the monsters?

_No. Do not say anything about them_. Louisa bit her lip. "But I… err… ran into the odd… err… problem."

"What sort of problems?" Louisa shrugged.

"Wild animals." She settled with. Jessica was about to say something when the light turned green. She stepped on the gas suddenly, making Louisa grateful for the seat belt.

"Erm… anyway, Louisa. What do you like to eat?"

"I dunno…"

"McDonalds? Hot dogs? Burgers? Have you ever had any of those?" Louisa felt her cheeks getting hot. She had the feeling normal kids her age knew what Jessica was on about. Jessica's expression turned pitying. She thought for a minute. "Louisa, pick on randomly."

"Um… hot dog?" The words seemed foreign on her lips. "I think…" Jessica's smile turned kind. "If that's OK?" Jessica nodded and took a left.

Louisa glanced at the window as they stopped in traffic again. She saw a boy her age sitting on the steps of a block of flats with someone who was clearly his mother. Louisa watched them curiously. The boy laughed, his jet black hair seemingly dark brown in the sunlight. His green eyes lit up with humour. Louisa wandered what it would be like to have a mother. She kept her eyes on the small family who were laughing. The boy looked round, grinning. Louisa was sure he looked familiar as they locked eyes.

The traffic started moving before Louisa could say or do anything.

"Louisa, are you OK?" Louisa didn't answer, slouching in her seat, her eyes trained on the outside world. So this was New York. Filled with swearing drivers, yellow cabs and happy families.

And one lonely, homeless, stray demigod.

**PLEASE REVIEW! :D **


	5. Hot dogs

Louisa had a new favourite food.

Hot dogs.

Jessica watched her, almost laughing.

"Wut? I'm hungry."

"I can tell, Louisa." Louisa chewed for a short while.

"Call me Lou." Jessica smiled kindly. Louisa ate in silence for a few minutes, already on her fifth hot dog. When she had finished, she sat back in her chair. "Jessica, can I ask you somethin'?" Jessica nodded. "Did ya ever know ya family?"

"My dad left after I was born, but Mom's always been good."

"Have ya met ya dad?"

"No. You?"

"Erm… I dunno, maybe." Louisa felt eyes on her and looked over her shoulder. A man in his late fifties was watching her, wearing a dark, yet curious expression. "What cha lookin' at, sleazeball?" Louisa demanded, clenching her fists.

"Louisa, don't- I'm sorry!" Louisa turned back. "Lou, you can't call strangers names."

"He was starin' at me."

"I know and I think it's creepy, but you can't… call them names, OK?"

"It ain't like I'm physically unable ta do that."

"I know, Lou, but still… it's not nice. What would you do if someone you don't know called you names?"

"Smack 'em one. Or can't I do that either?"

"It's not ideal, Lou." Louisa shrugged and asked if she could have another hot dog. "Err… please?" Jessica laughed and got up.

While she was gone, Louisa looked around the small hot dog shop. That old man was watching her out of the corner of his eye, trying to be discreet but failing miserably. Other than him, everyone else was minding their own business.

The old man turned his head when he noticed Louisa watching him. They had a bit of a staring competition.

Louisa's expression hardened and the man looked away.

"Here you are, Lou." Louisa turned back round, her glare replaced with an innocent expression. Jessica had got her two more hot dogs, just in case, and one for herself.

"Thanks." Louisa grinned sweetly.

"When did you last eat?"

"About two minutes ago."

"Before the hot dogs."

"Dunno. I dunno how long I was out." Jessica just nodded.

Half-way through her seventh hot dog, Louisa asked another question. "Have ya ever done somethin' strange, somethin' ya can't explain?"

"Like what?" Louisa shrugged.

"I dunno, anythin' that ain't normal."

"Classify normal." Louisa hesitated. What was normal? "My point exactly. Normal is just a phrase. Nothing and no-one is normal."

"You seem normal… ish." Jessica smiled. Louisa bit into the last half of the hot dog.

"By something strange, what do you mean?" Louisa chewed thoughtfully.

"When I hit Jack, the day I ran away, I… I messed up the plumbin'."

"Messed up the plumbing?"

"Yeah." Louisa quietly explained what had happened. Jessica seemed bewildered. "Ya don't believe, me do ya?"

"Well… it does sound a bit… unusual, Lou. I mean, _controlling water_? I don't see how that could work." Louisa finished the hot dog.

"I don't either. But I swear… it happened." Jessica studied her curiously.

"Are you sure, Lou? You were only five." Louisa shrugged. "Hold on a sec." Jessica got up again to purchase a bottle of water. When she returned, Louisa was watching her, confused. "If you can control water… prove it." Jessica set the unopened bottle in front of Louisa and sat back down, arms folded in challenge.

Louisa watched the bottle, frowning. Jessica looked up and her smile faltered. The old man was watching Louisa again.


	6. Rain and truth

Jessica managed to wrench her gaze from the weird old man and back to Louisa's eyes. There was something different in those sea green depths- like a shift of power.

Louisa glared at the bottle in concentration. Were her nerves messing up her focus?

After a minute or so, Louisa sat back in her seat, the bottle untouched.

"Stupid thing…" She muttered. Jessica had a sympathetic look, but it didn't make Louisa feel any better.

What made her feel even worse though was that the creepy old man decided to sit next to Jessica, who seemed a bit shocked, but didn't say anything.

Louisa glared at the stranger. "What'd ya want, sleazeball?"

"Louisa." Jessica warned. Louisa ignored her.

"I wanted to see if you could actually control water. But no. Just a farfetched story of a homeless girl looking for attention." Something about this man _really_ ticked Louisa off.

"Excuse me, but I think you have to go." Jessica said quietly. The man studied her for a few short seconds out of the corner of his eye, but he didn't move.

His grey eyes slid to Louisa, meeting a thunderous sea green.

"Store's closed on the account of rain." Louisa stated darkly. Almost instantly, the sprinklers shot on, spraying water everywhere. A few screamed, children laughed, but the hot dog restaurant emptied within the minute.

While Jessica and the old man were drenched to the skin, Louisa remained perfectly dry.

Jessica was staring at Louisa, wide-eyed with shock… and fear. Louisa's heart sank. The first person who had been nice to her and that she had met… was scared of her.

"How-?"

"Told ya strange things happen." Louisa kept her voice down. The old man looked impressed. "Happy now? Or are ya gonna sit there with that smug ass look?"

"No, I've got what I wanted. I'll go now." And he vanished into thin air.

This was too much for Jessica, causing her to faint.

When Jessica came round, she was still in her seat at the hot dog booth. The sprinklers had long been shut off.

"How ya feelin'?" Jessica looked round. Louisa was sitting cross-legged on the table, eating yet another hot dog. She was still dry.

"Ugh…" Jessica managed. Louisa just nodded. Jessica mentally shook herself. "H-how did you do that?" Louisa shrugged, taking another bite of her hot dog.

"Just somethin' I can do."

"And you weren't getting wet?"

"No."

"How come?" Again, Louisa shrugged.

"I ain't an expert in this, Jessica." Louisa reached down and took Jessica's hand. She frowned slightly. Jessica was suddenly dry. "Don't faint on me again or I'll have ta get a doc in 'n' I don't like 'em. Pompous gits…" She added quietly. Jessica laughed nervously. "Feelin' OK ta move?" Jessica sat up slowly and nodded. "Good. Ma legs have fallen asleep."

Back in Jessica's car, there was an almost awkward silence. After about ten minutes of driving, Jessica took a deep, steadying breath before talking.

"Louisa?"

"Yeah?"

"Those… problems you faced. While you were on the run."

"What about 'em?"

"What sort of problems were they?"

"Erm… well, they were… _different_."

"Different _how_?" Louisa hesitated. _What do I tell her? _

_The truth. _

"Do ya believe in demons? Monsters? Whatever ya wanna call 'em."

"Demons? Monsters?"

"Yup."

"Louisa, _seriously_."

"I am bein' serious!" Jessica stayed quiet. "OK, ya know the Greek gods?"

"Sort of, why?"

"Well, that's part of it." And Louisa told her everything she knew about the gods being real, the demons, her weapons and her ability over water, everything that connected to that.

When she finished, Jessica was pale. "That ain't all of it."

"So, you're a… demigod?"

"Yup."

"Right…"

"Ya don't believe me, do ya?" Jessica faltered. "Be honest. I can take it."

"No, Lou, I don't- I _can't _believe you. It's a bit- no, a hell of a lot farfetched. I mean, come on. Those gods were myths, years and years ago."

"They're immortal. 'N' I'm sure they can hear ya." Jessica didn't say anything, noticing her local police station. Louisa did too. "Aw…" She complained, her shoulders slumping. "Can't I stay with you?"

"Louisa, someone might be looking for you or have you reported missing. I would love to have you, despite your wild imagination, but I can't. I could get done for harbouring or kidnapping you." Louisa didn't look too happy, but at least she understood.

Before she got out the car, Louisa said one last thing to Jessica, the one last thing that weakened Jessica's opinion.

"I swear on the River Styx I've been tellin' the truth."


	7. A visit from Poseidon

Louisa remained silent while Jessica explained how she had found the girl unconscious in the water.

"You didn't take her for medical attention?"

"I work as a part-time nurse. She was only water-logged." The police officer behind the desk nodded and eyed Louisa warily.

"Why were you in the sea?" He asked. Louisa shrugged, her hands in her tracksuit bottoms pockets. She wore a couldn't-care-less expression, which clearly didn't sit well with the policeman.

The officer sighed. "Very well. We will keep her here for a night. If no-one claims her, we'll see if the local orphanage can take her."

"OK, thank-you."

"Wut? Ya goin'?"

"I have to, Lou." Louisa didn't look happy. Jessica thought for a few seconds before holding her hand out. Louisa's eyes flicked from Jessica's hand to her eyes, but she raised her hand in response. "Have you got a pen?" Jessica asked the officer. He handed her a blue biro. "OK, Lou. If you need to call me, just call me, alright?" She said, scribbling her number on the back of Louisa's hand.

"OK. Thanks." Louisa seemed a bit happier, but not entirely.

Later that night, Jessica lay awake wondering how Louisa was getting on. Even though she had only known Louisa for half a day, she had a feeling Louisa was testing the police officers' patience and sense of humour.

Jessica ran their last conversation through her head. It was the last thing Louisa said to her that caught her attention and confused her the most: _'I swear on the River Styx I've been tellin' the truth'_.

River Styx? What was that?

About three in the morning, Jessica couldn't stand this not knowing any longer. She got out of her warm bed and went to her study, booting up her computer. She Googled everything Louisa had told her- the gods, the River Styx, the demons, the weapons.

It all fit with Louisa's story.

Jessica sat back in her leather, swivel chair, marvelling in her new knowledge.

Louisa was a demigod. Which meant her mom or dad was a god. Jessica thought back on Louisa's abilities. The water.

After a few minutes, Jessica found out two water gods- Peneus, a river god and Poseidon, the god of the sea.

Jessica had found Louisa in the ocean. And she hadn't said why she was there, but she clearly knew why.

"Having fun?" Jessica jumped and spun round in her chair, her heart racing. Sitting on the sofa positioned between two, oak bookcases was a man in his early thirties. He had laughter lines around his deep, sea green eyes that sparkled in the dim light. He had jet black hair that stuck up in all directions, as if a sea wind had styled it. He wore khaki shorts, a Hawaiian print shirt and sandals. His skin was deeply tanned, as if he spent all his time on the beach. Next to him was a trident.

"W-who are you? And… how did you get in?"

"Fire escape." The fire escape answer didn't seem solid enough, but Jessica didn't press him. "And you may call me Poseidon." He held her gaze studiously. "Why did you leave Louisa?"

"I-I… I had to. Someone could claim her or know her or something."

"But you heard her yourself. There is no-one to claim her." His grip tightened on the trident and he saw the fear in Jessica's eyes. "Do not worry. I do not run mortals through during the first meeting." Jessica paled.

"Is… is Louisa your… your…"

"Daughter?" Jessica nodded. "Yes."

"Then… why don't you claim her?"

"I would love to keep my children where I can look after them, but it is not in a god's role to do so."

"Children?"

"I have a son as well." He seemed pained. "I pity them, I really do."

"Why?"

"It was forbidden for I and my two brothers to sire anymore children. A hero's life isn't a happy one. There's always some sort of tragedy consuming their time."

"Then, why did you?"

"Love is a powerful thing." Poseidon got to his feet. "I must be going now. There is a matter to attend to in my kingdom."

"Erm… Poseidon?" He looked at her, a kind gleam in his powerful eyes. "What about Louisa? You won't leave her, will you?"

"I will help her, as I have done since she was five. But she needs a motherly figure in her life. Can you assure me you will take care of my daughter?" Jessica blinked blankly. He was asking her to adopt Louisa!

"I-I will." Jessica remembered what Louisa had said. "I swear on the River Styx to look after Louisa as best I can." Thunder boomed. Poseidon smiled.

"You learn quickly. That's good." And he turned into water vapour, trident and all, and vanished out the window, which opened on its own. All that was left was a strong, sea breeze.


	8. Adoption

When Jessica stopped by the police station mid-morning the next day, Louisa had already been transferred to the local orphanage. The hot dogs she had bought were going to go cold.

It took half an hour to find the orphanage. A narrow, four storey building, painted white with red window and door frames and a slate black roof. It had its own plot of land, once a thing of beauty, but now trampled on by the kids running around the yard and laughing.

Jessica couldn't see Louisa as she walked down the simple, gravel path and up the steps to the red front door. She knocked loudly and the door was almost instantly yanked off its hinges by a perky, casually dressed blonde woman in her thirties.

"Erm… hi. I'm Jessica and I'm looking for Louisa."

"The new girl?" Jessica nodded. "Come in." The woman smiled kindly, stepping back to allow Jessica to cross the threshold. There were a dozen more kids in here, seated around a long dining table, eating various cereals. Louisa wasn't with them. "She's having some trouble settling in, but she's told us she's ADHD."

"She is?" Louisa hadn't told her that.

"Oh, I'm Tia, by the way."

"Nice to meet you." Tia was leading Jessica up the stairs to the third floor. The carpet was a worn, dusty blue the walls a simple peach colour with drawings either directly on the wall or taped to the wall. There were a dozen, different coloured doors lining the walls.

"Our younger children are encouraged to draw."

"Even on the walls?" Tia laughed.

"Oh, we don't mind. It's nice to see their work." They stopped by a red door. Tia knocked. "Louisa, someone's here to see you. Can we come in?"

"Who is it?"

"Lou, it's me." After a few seconds, the door opened. "Trust you to pick the red door." Louisa grinned at Jessica.

"It's a cool colour."

"I'll leave you two to talk. I have to find Maggie." When Tia's back was turned, Louisa pulled a face at her. Jessica laughed as they receded into Louisa's new bedroom. It was a small room, with a simple single bed covered with a blue blanket. The walls were the same peach colour as the hall, but there were fewer childish drawings. There was an oak, bedside table with a white and black lamp on top.

"Do you like it here, Lou?"

"Well, I haven't punched anyone yet, so I'm doin' good." Jessica smiled. "Why?"

"You're curious, aren't you?" Louisa shrugged. "Well, I had a very unusual visitor last night…" That got Louisa's attention. "He seemed friendly enough, although he told me he didn't run mortals through on the first visit."

"Run them through? With wut?"

"His trident." Jessica smiled as understanding slowly dawned in Louisa's eyes.

"Ya met ma dad?"

"Yep."

"How come he'll see you but he ain't gonna come 'n' see me?"

"He's been helping you, Lou. Said he has been since you were five." Louisa bit her lip thoughtfully, looking away at the bland wall. She pressed her palms to her temples, frowning slightly. "You OK, Lou?"

"I've been hearin' ma dad in ma head 'n' I've only just realised." Jessica laughed again.

"Oh, Lou, what're you like?" Louisa shrugged again, lowering her hands. "So, Lou…"

"Yeah?"

"How would you feel I've I asked to adopt you?" Louisa blinked blankly.

"Really?" Jessica nodded, smiling. Louisa's expression broke into an astounded grin. "That'd be awesome!" Louisa's grin faltered as she thought of something.

"What's the matter, Lou?"

"Ya've only know me a day, not even that. How come-?"

"Your dad is very persuasive. And he's a god. I think he knows what he's on about."

"Awesome." Louisa grinned.

"So, still up for this adoption?"

"Duh." Louisa smirked sarcastically.

**Sorry this chapter's short, I'm gonna do a time skip in the next one. Mainly cos I don't know how adoption things work, here or in America. **


	9. New home

**This is about five months on. **

"It's not much, Lou, but I hope you feel… at home here." Louisa looked around Jessica's apartment. It was a fairly simple apartment, walking through the front door into the living/dining room. Opposite the front door was an archway leading to the small, modern kitchen. On the wall to the right of the front door were three more doors, evenly spaced out. One was obviously the bathroom and the other two bedrooms.

The living room consisted of two oak bookcases either side of the flat screen TV. The carpet was a royal blue up until the kitchen, where the carpet became a criss-cross of lino tiles. Opposite the telly was the slightly worn, black leather couch which had a scatter of red and white cushions. In front of that was the oak coffee table. The magazines had been hurriedly stacked and the coffee mug stains scrubbed at.

Behind the sofa, about two metres away, was the oak dining table with four matching chairs. In the centre was a vase of fresh red and white roses, carefully arranged.

"Ya tried ta tidy up, but I'm guessin' it didn't go too well." Jessica smiled sheepishly.

"I'm not a particularly tidy person."

"Then we'll get along just fine." Jessica laughed before showing Louisa to her new room- the old study. She had sold the sofa that was in here, got her neighbour to help move the bookcases into the front room and the computer into Jessica's room.

"This is your new room. If you don't like it, tell me and we'll work together to get something sorted."

"As long as there's no pink." Jessica beamed at her. "Ya don't like pink either?"

"Nope."

"Again, we'll get along just fine."

"Just fine?"

"'N' extra." Louisa noted the new black carpet (to hide the dirt), the white rug to the right of her bed (again, oak- did Jessica have a thing for oak furniture?). Opposite the bed, pressed against the wall, was an oak dresser (yep, Jessica had a thing for oak furniture). The bed spread had dolphins on it, but Jessica had found a Poseidon action figure, trident included, which stood proudly on the (oak) bedside cabinet, which had one drawer.

Louisa moved over and picked up the Poseidon figure, grinning. "Mythomagic?" She asked.

"Yeah. How'd you know?"

"Erm… an old friend of mine. He was obsessed with that stuff." Louisa moved the trident to Poseidon's left hand. "Do ya reckon Dad's a leftie?"

"I think I saw him hold the trident in his right."

"Oh."

"Why? Are you a leftie?" Louisa nodded. "Awkward person."

"We're slowly gettin' there though. Lefties will rule the world eventually." Jessica grinned.

"And while we're waiting for the lefties apocalypse, how about we go and get some hotdogs?"

"Ya read ma mind." Louisa carefully set the Poseidon action figure back down and left with Jessica. She insisted on looking after the front door key after Jessica had locked the door on their way out. Jessica shot her a bemused look. "Just this once. I won't lose it, honest."

"Just this once. Until I get you your own door key."

"Really?"

"Duh. This is your home now, Lou." Louisa grinned, the happiest she had been in a long time.

"Can I get out of school then?"

"No!" Jessica laughed, gently tugging on Louisa's ponytail. "I'm not being harsh, Lou, but there's got to be something you're good at other than violence. Besides, an education wouldn't hurt."

"It will."

"How?"

"I'm too thick for school."

"No, you're not. You'll be fine. But let's get you settled in at home first, OK?"

"I can deal with that. How long's that gonna take?"

"It depends, Lou. Do _not_ use that to your advantage to spend as much time away from school as possible." Louisa's shoulders sagged.

"Oh…" She pouted, but she was grinning a second later. By now they were at Jessica's car. It didn't look as muddy as it had before. "Ya cleaned this too, didn't ya?"

"First impressions."

"Ta who?"

"I don't know. Maybe a new motherly role." Jessica got in the car. _Motherly? _Louisa hadn't seen Jessica as that until now- a mom. A foster mom at that, but still…

Jessica opened Louisa's door from the inside. "I thought you wanted hotdogs?"

"I'm comin'."


	10. First day of school Food tech

**Louisa has (reluctantly) started school. This is her first day- please tell me what you think :D **

**Oh, and cos I'm in England, I'm not too sure how American schools are run, but I'll see what I can do. **

The receptionist showed Louisa to her new homeroom. Louisa's form teacher was a science teacher. He seemed nice though, introducing a few of the students and generally being kind. His name was Mr. Blurr. His name fitted well with his personality and energy- he was darting about and seemed he had trouble sitting still, as if he had had coffee and sugar for breakfast. If he had, Louisa envied him- all she had this morning was strawberry jam on toast.

Mr. Blurr had to be in his late twenties, early thirties. His thick, brown-auburn-blonde hair was gelled up in 'spikes' and his blue eyes shone with energy. He was casually dressed in jeans, blue T-shirt with a cartoon scientist having deep purple chemicals explode in his face. His white trainers seemed almost new.

"Just call me Blurr. Everyone does. The 'Mister' part of it makes me feel old."

"OK… Blurr." This was going to take some getting used to. Blurr beamed at her.

"You learn quickly, kid." He clapped his hands together, almost excitedly. "Which reminds me! Your timetable."

"Err… OK." Blurr bounded to his cluttered desk and rummaged about for a short while, before grabbing a sheet of paper and holding it up proudly. _Why can't all teachers be this enthusiastic? School wouldn't be so bad then._

Blurr bounced back to Louisa, handing her the timetable with a flourish. "Thanks." Louisa smiled, looking down at her lessons. Damn her dyslexia.

"You've got me for science! That'll be fun, won't it?" This guy was nuts, but in a good way. Louisa didn't want to hurt his feelings.

"Yeah, that'd be cool." She noticed someone snickering at her from the back of the class. "Will ya be mixin' chemicals that blow up in peoples' faces?"

"Unfortunately, no. Why? You're not a bit of a pyromaniac, are you?"

"Fire's fun. More fun around flammable things like hairspray 'n' what not."

"We'll get along just fine." Blurr beamed at her.

"Ya pyromaniac too then?"

"Duh." _Since when did teachers say 'duh'?_ "No, are you a leftie?" Louisa nodded. "We'll get along even better then. We'll get-"

"There eventually." Louisa finished. "The lefties apocalypse will come about at some time." Blurr laughed and told her to take a seat. Louisa picked a seat at the back, near the window. She looked down the aisle, noticing a blonde girl about her age was glaring at her. Louisa smirked back, unnerved. She mimed spraying her hair with hairspray shortly followed by lighting a lighter. The girl paled. Louisa cheekily saluted her, before slouching in her seat and studying her timetable, trying to figure out what _dofo cehtongylo _was.

Her frustration in her dyslexia grew, but she was going to wait until the bell rang.

"Louisa, are you OK?" Louisa looked up, noticing the other kids had filed out. Blurr was watching her worriedly.

"Uh… yeah. But I don't know what I've got first." Blurr jumped up from his desk and practically skipped over. He took the seat next to her and peered at the timetable.

"Food technology."

"Oh. Sounds fun."

"You were looking at today's schedule, weren't you?"

"Duh." Blurr grinned at her. "I was, honest. I'm just… dyslexic."

"Really?" Louisa nodded. "I don't think I've taught a dyslexic kid before," Louisa didn't look happy. "But we'll see what we can do, OK?"

"Thanks, sir."

"Just Blurr."

"Err… where's food tech at then?"

"I'll show you. Come on." He jumped to his feet, his natural buoyancy and friendly smile encouraging Louisa to do the same. "It's not that bad, to be honest."

"I can't cook." _That's a lie- you've shot down deer and rabbits for years and cooked them on a wildfire. _

_Not helping, Dad._

_Sorry. I felt like pointing it out._

_Thanks for that._ She seemed to hear Poseidon laughing in her mind as she followed Blurr down the corridor, down three flights of stairs, across the school grounds to a white, low down building with large windows and red doors.

"That's food tech. If you get lost, ask a classmate."

"OK, thanks si- Blurr." He punched her arm playfully before jogging off, back to his classroom.

Louisa was five minutes late, but she got away with it when she said she didn't know where to go.

"Newbies… honestly, they're so thick."

"Well done, bobble head." Louisa retorted, turning round and locking eyes with the blonde girl from her homeroom. "Oh, it's you. Should've known."

Their teacher, Ms. Fricker, cleared her throat. She was a woman in her fifties, five foot eight with silver hair pulled back into a bun. She wore a navy blue blouse tucked into a grey, just-below-the-knees length skirt. On her feet she had those funny, old granny tap dancing shoes.

Ms. Fricker's dull, brown eyes bore into Louisa. Louisa held the teacher's gaze briefly, before grinning cheekily. "Lighten up a bit, Miss." And Louisa went to a nearby counter. Ms. Fricker stared at the new girl, not sure what to say.

"Anyway, in today's lesson, we have decided for you to show us your talents. The stock cupboard is open, but only take what you need. Keep the mess and noise minimal, please. Connor's corner, you five in the stock cupboard."

"That's you as well, kid." Louisa looked up into the eyes of a strawberry blonde boy with grey eyes. He was pale and his hair stuck up in all directions as if he had styled it by rolling out of bed. "I'm Connor." He stuck his hand out. Louisa studied him for a second before shaking his hand.

"Louisa. Where's the stock cupboard?"

"I'll show you, c'mon." Louisa followed him to the end of the classroom. The stock cupboard was a giant cellar, half the size of the classroom. It was seriously clean, bright and incredibly organized- meats in the fridges and freezers in one corner, fruits and vegetables in fridges and on shelves in another corner and so on. "Any idea what you're cooking?"

"Nope. Ya know what ya cookin'?"

"I was gonna try a stir fry, but I don't know what goes into it." Louisa shrugged. He laughed and mimicked. Louisa looked around the store cupboard.

"Ya know, I'm gonna do a cake."

"I like cakes. Hint hint." Louisa chuckled.

"Ya can have the crumbs."

"Oh, gee, thanks." Connor shook his head at her. "I might try some biscuits or something."

"Trade?"

"Yeah, OK then." The two got what they needed and returned to the classroom. Louisa dumped everything on the counter, trying to remember the recipe Jessica had taught her. Well, she had two hours to kill, so remembering it wouldn't be a hassle.

Ten minutes later, Ms. Fricker stopped by Connor's corner and watched the students at work. Connor was doing his best to mix a thick mixture while Amelia and Sheena were attempting pancakes. Tom was making a traffic light jelly, which looked nice to eat. The new girl, Louisa seemed to have two cakes on the go. The one she was mixing had all the ingredients thrown together and was near enough ready to be poured into a cake tin and put in the oven. The other was flour, sugar and baking powder.

"Louisa?" Louisa looked up, still stirring. "Two cakes?"

"That's OK, ain't it?" Ms. Fricker gave a curt nod and moved on.

Nearing the end of the lesson, Louisa had two, perfect round golden brown cakes. She was mixing up three different colours of icing **(frosting?)**- Sea green-blue, red and a pure white. She looked at the cake on the left, thinking how to ice it.

"Want some help?" Connor asked.

"What about ya biscuits?"

"They've still got ten minutes." Louisa nodded. "That a 'yes' to me helping?" She nodded again. Connor walked round to her side of the counter and started to mix up the green-blue icing. "You could always do the edges white and the top red."

"Yeah, but I wanted some sorta deco."

"Flowers?"

"Ugh, no." Louisa thought for a minute before a symbol flashed across her mind: Ω - a Greek omega. She told Connor what she was going to do, but he wasn't sure what an omega was. Louisa drew it on the counter with excess icing.

This cake was for Jessica. Louisa had gone with Connor's idea but had added her own. In white on the red surface, Louisa had iced a large omega. The side of the cake was white with small, red omegas carefully drawn on at various angles.

"That looks cool. What're you gonna do with this one?"

"I'm gonna shape it."

"Into what?"

"A trident." And Louisa got to work, giving Connor some of the cake she had cut away.

"Can I have one?"

"No."

"Ah, why not?"

"It's for ma dad."

"That's a very nice thought, Louisa." Louisa looked round and saw Ms. Fricker. "May I try a bit?" Louisa nodded and held up the plate with the extra cake on.

**Sorry it's drabbley, but I wanted Louisa cooking cakes for Jessica and her dad. Just so that this isn't a hugely long chapter, I'm gonna try and get Louisa's first day over a few chapters. What lessons should she have next? First three suggestions I'm gonna take. **


	11. First day of school Ancient History

**Sorry I haven't updated in a while, but I've only been back at school for a few days (ugh) and I'm kinda already behind on homework (again, ugh), behind on stories and reading and blah blah blah… **

**Anyhoo, this could possibly/most likely be a drabble chapter and whatnot, but I've got a rough idea, which reminds me to put in a special thanks to percyjacksonharrypotterrules for suggesting History. **

Louisa frowned at the swirly, italic writing on the board. To her it looked like: _Eusz swa hte kngi fo eht reGek gdos, nowkn sa hte hesipurn fo teh kewicd nda viousar fo hte incontne. _

After that, Louisa gave up, ignoring the next dozen or so lines.

"Will you pay attention, please?" The teacher asked, wearing a kind expression that did nothing to support the strictness in her tone. Louisa rolled her eyes up at the teacher, her head propped up on her fist. "Sit up properly." Louisa bit her lip to supress a groan of annoyance. Her history teacher, Ms. Rose, was another elderly teacher (was this an OAP's finishing school?), with silver hair tied up into a high bun, her expression grim and her dull blue eyes sharp and menacing. She wore a blue, flowery summer dress, a white cardigan and sandals.

Louisa didn't like her.

Ms. Rose studied her warily before drawing herself to her full height. "Now, answer my question." Louisa raised her head slightly, sighing. The teacher just about covered a scowl. "Zeus was the king of the Olympian and other gods after the fall of his father. How did he kill his father and why?" Louisa sighed again, this time more irritated.

"Zeus's mom had a few kids, but his dad, Kronos, didn't want to be overthrown, so he ate all his kids. Zeus was the youngest, which I think's weird 'cos the youngest as chief god 'n' whatnot…" Thunder boomed outside. "Anyway, his mom, whose name escapes me at the minute, hid Zeus 'n' gave Kronos a rock or somethin' ta eat. At some point, Zeus fed his dad a mix of honey 'n' somethin', which made Kronos barf up the other kids, who were still alive 'cos they're immortal 'n' all. Zeus chopped Kronos ta bits with his own scythe, drew straws with his brothers, Poseidon 'n' Hades, got the sky 'n' control over lightnin' 'n' he ended up as chief god."

Ms. Rose blinked blankly at her. Louisa gritted her teeth in annoyance, her eyes hardening. She turned to look at the board, read through her writing before looking back at the new student. Louisa noticed the other students' eyes darting back and forth from the teacher to the new girl.

"Did you read that off the board?"

"No."

"How do I know you're not lying?"

"'Cos I'm friggin' dyslexic. Shouldn't that be on ya stinkin' school records?"

"Yes. It should be." The teacher returned to her desk, instructing for the class to write up anything they knew about Zeus or one of the other Greek Olympian gods. Louisa groaned again, wishing she could sit at the back instead of the front. If she sat at the back, she could try and get away with snoozing. Yeah, this 'ancient history' was part of her life, but she really could not be bothered to sit there and write everything she knew about the gods (and there was alot).

Instead, Louisa looked around the classroom. There were posters and students' work all over the walls, displaying anything from history- Egyptians, the Greek gods and whatnot to the Native Americans and the American civil war.

Her eyes fell on a poster of Greek gods. This one was about Poseidon. Louisa ignored the text bubbles and focused on the picture of the statue of her dad. Well, it was a statue, so obviously, no colour. But then again, his nose wasn't that crooked and he held the trident in his right. His beard wasn't that curly nor shaggy.

"Miss?" Louisa asked, not looking round from the poster.

"Yes, Louisa?"

"That poster's got his looks wrong." The teacher looked up, her eyebrows knitted in confusion. Louisa still hadn't looked round.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean he don't look like that."

"How would you know?" Louisa's head snapped round then, a guarded look building in her eyes. The teacher wasn't sure to question her further or laugh the girl's delusions off.

"What's it to you?" Louisa muttered.

"You make a statement about proven history and then cannot carry on." The teacher leaned on the desk, her arms folded across the top. "I think, despite your obvious knowledge of Greek gods, you have an over active imagination."

"Yeah?" Louisa challenged. The teacher gave a curt nod. "Fine then. What's that outside the window?" The teacher and the class looked round.

"That's the caretaker, Louisa." A few of the kids started laughing. Louisa ignored them, unfazed.

"Knew it. Ya guys can't see nothin' 'cos there ain't nothin' ya really believe in."

"Nothing that we believe in? Louisa, I am Catholic. I believe in God."

"I don't."

"Everyone's beliefs are different, Louisa."

"Some are stronger than others."

"Really?"

"What would ya do if I told ya that your supposed caretaker was an ancient Greek demon?" This time the class burst into peals of laughter. Even the teacher couldn't help but crack a smile.

"Louisa, as I said before-"

"Yeah, an over active imagination. Ya said 'n' I get it." Louisa got to her feet. "But I can see."

_Louisa, what are you doing?_

_Correcting mistakes._

_You'll get yourself into trouble. Hold your hand out. _Louisa did as her father said. A sudden rush of power flew down her arm, seared across her hand and burst from her fingertips, rippling the air around her. The class suddenly fell silent, most of them suddenly stiffening in their seats, their blank expressions eerie.

_What was that?_

_Mist. The veil that covers mortals' visions and minds from what is true._

_Why do that? If something is true, people should know about it._

_The truth can hurt. More than just emotionally. Mortals are easily wounded on mental and physical levels as they are on an emotional level._

_I noticed._

_I thought you might have. Oh, and ask for a Greek translation._

_Why?_

_You'll see. If they don't have one, write what you want to. It'll all come naturally. _

_OK. _Louisa didn't understand what her father meant, but hey. He was a god, he knew what he meant. That was enough.

"Louisa, sit down. What are you doing?" The strict Ms. Rose was back and the boring yawn had settled back over the class.

"Just stretchin' ma legs, Miss."

"Sit down!" The teacher commanded. Louisa sighed and slumped back down into her chair. "Right, back to this. Who would like to read?" Of course, no-one volunteered. "Callum, what about you?" Callum, a curly red head with navy blue eyes looked up, his already pale cheeks seeming to get paler. Clearly, he didn't do well under pressure or being centre of the attention.

Louisa sat up, hastily pulling bits of scrap paper to her and her pen in her left **(I'm a leftie- felt like we needed more lefties :D ). **

Callum began to read, stammering at first and tripping over his words, but as he got used to the class's attention, he stopped stuttering and read more clearly.

When he had finished speaking, Louisa looked down at what she had written. It wasn't English and the letters didn't jump about like friggin' Tigger **(I love that guy)**. She was still studying her work when Ms. Rose started talking to her again.

"Louisa!"

"Huh?"

"Bring me that paper." The teacher demanded, holding her hand out impatiently. Louisa faltered, her eyes darting to the window. The caretaker was out there, according to her gut feeling, but he was out of sight for now.

Ms. Rose was calling her name again. She was slowly getting on Louisa's nerves. "Louisa, will you pay attention?"

"I'm workin'!"

"Yes, I appreciate that, but can you please pay attention for a few minutes?" Louisa sighed and grumbled but dropped her pen and slouched in her chair. "Right, as I was saying, Zeus's fellow brothers, Poseidon and Hades won powers over some important things. Poseidon gained power over the sea. He was the creator of horses, which I will explain more on later. Hades received control over the Underworld and the dead." Here, a few kids said 'ewwww…'

_Honestly, I get called immature. _

"Settle down." The teacher sniped. It took a few seconds before the class fell silent. Ms. Rose sighed. "Does anyone know why Poseidon created the horses?" Louisa raised a fist. "Louisa?" Louisa lowered her hand, sighing irritably.

"He had a bit of a crush on Demeter 'n' she said ta make the most beautiful creature ta ever be seen or somethin' like that. After a few fails, Poseidon made the horse, but by then, he didn't fancy Demeter anymore."

"Excellent. How did he make the horses?" Louisa raised her fist again, but so did the blonde bimbo from her home room. The teacher picked the blonde.

"Didn't it have, like, something to, like, do with the sea?" Louisa bit her lip and stopped herself from calling out an insult. Seriously, how can someone be so blonde and know something smart? **(No offense to blondes, but I'm known for making blonde jokes and insults and whatnot- it's kinda habit now :D )**

"Yes it did." Ms. Rose nodded approvingly. "Who knows anything about Hades?"

"He's a horrible, grouchy old git." The class burst into peals of laughter.

"Louisa, language!" Ms. Rose regained her composure as the class stifled giggles. "Why are you referring to him in present tense?"

"Err… accident." **(Just noticed, this is some hench long chapter. Might have to cut it down 'cos I know a lot about Greek gods and whatnot off the top of my head- I'll be here all day and to be honest, I really don't want to. **_**Anyway**_**). **

The bell finally rang. Louisa sighed in relief, getting up to go when the teacher called her back. Louisa groaned. First day and she had already 'Misted' a class, been pulled back in lesson, made an enemy and discovered a demon sulking around disguised as a scummy caretaker.

"Can I have a look at that work you were doing earlier?" Louisa blinked blankly before swinging her rucksack around from her shoulder and rummaging through it. Honestly, first day and her bag was filled with junk. How she hated school already.

Louisa handed her work over.

"I'm goin' now, Miss. I'm hungry." And she walked out before the stunned teacher could say anything.


	12. Jess VS Lou DRABBLE WARNING

**Yes, I know, been a while since I last updated. SORRY! Seriously, school's messed up and basically crap. Anyway, I'm gonna try something that I randomly came up with in the last five mins. If it's crappy, that's not my fault. I actually like writing drabble. **

Louisa was looking over her shoulder, when the ground vanished underneath her feet. She fell forward, crashing into the hard ground, tumbling heavily down the steep, wooded hill.

Her fall came to a stop when a tree blocked her path.

Louisa groaned, the world upside down and her back to the rough bark.

"Bloody tree…" She rolled over, her right arm and ribs searing in agony, nearly causing her to cry out.

Deep growling reached her and she cursed in Greek as scarlet eyes found hers…

"Lou!" Louisa smacked Jessica in the shoulder, making her fall back.

"Oh crap. I'm so sorry." Louisa jumped up, unsteady on her feet, almost falling back herself. Putting her dizziness and chronic shaking to one side, she helped Jessica to her feet. "Are ya OK? I didn't mean ta knock ya flat."

"I'm alright, Lou." Jessica grabbed Louisa's elbow. "You look like you're going to be sick though."

"Bad dream… memory… crap… _thing_." Jessica laughed softly. "Wut? I'm awake early. What'd ya expect?"

"Want to talk about it?"

"Uh… maybe later." Jessica nodded and sat Louisa down on the bed. The child didn't look well- pale with shadows under her confused and slightly haunted eyes. A thin sheen of cold sweat shimmered on her forehead, her fringe sticking to it.

"Stay there."

"Not a problem." Jessica hurried out of the room. Louisa collapsed across her bed, groaning again. Why in Hades name had she been shown _that _memory?

When Jessica returned, she had thought Louisa had fallen back asleep. The girl's eyes were closed and her breathing even and steady.

"Lou?" Louisa simply grumbled indistinctly in reply. Jessica allowed herself a smile before moving forward and tipping the bowl of cold water all over the demigod.

Louisa was on her feet in no time.

"Crap crap crap!" Jessica laughed heartedly, feeling Louisa's glare fall on her.

"I thought your dad was Poseidon?"

"Dad or no, I don't like havin' cold water dumped on me when I'm half awake." Jessica smiled sweetly. Louisa half-sighed, half-groaned. "Ma bed's all wet."

"Not my problem."

"Ya horrible."

"Thank-you." Louisa grinned wickedly.

"I ain't gonna dry it. I'm gonna make ya work at two in the mornin'." Jessica dropped the plastic washing up bowl and folded her arms stubbornly. Louisa mimicked.

"And what if I don't?"

"I heard ya bed was real comfy. 'N' I fidget a lot so I might accidently _on purpose_ kick ya outta it."

"But you've got super drying, water proofing powers! Or whatever you want to call them."

"So? You're mortal. It ain't my job ta do peasant work."

"Is that how you see all mortals?" Jessica laughed.

"Pretty much."

Jessica eventually changed the sheets, doing her 'peasant' work. Louisa, however, had decided to make herself a hot coco.

"Right, when you've finished that, back to bed, OK?"

"Yup."

Jessica returned to her bed, pulling back the thick covers.

"LOUISA!" She screamed. She heard Louisa's evil laughter from the next room. Jessica scooped up the huge, toy spider and marched back to Louisa's room. Louisa had settled down under the covers, still laughing. "I told you about the spiders in _confidence_. That does not give you an advantage over me!"

Louisa smiled wickedly. "You're so going to school today." Louisa's grin faded as she stuck her bottom lip out childishly. Jessica threw the spider at her and left, closing the door firmly behind her.

"Night, Jess."

"Night, Lou." Louisa sighed, settling down only to return to vile, horrible memories.

**Drabbley, I know. But I'm gonna try a school scene next. Or something. I dunno. I'm working on it :D **


	13. Lou VS Blondes and consequences

**Sorry AGAIN! *Note to self: I really have to try and update more*. **

**Anyway, this is a few weeks on. Louisa is still surprisingly at school and it's a week until her birthday. I know I didn't go any further with the cakes, but I'm not sure how to do that bit. I might do it in some sort of flashback thing. **

**Please review! **

"Are you always this hyper?"

"I've had sugar. Leave me alone." Connor grinned at his friend, tucking into his chips.

Someone dumped their tray next to Louisa and someone did the same opposite her. It was Dylan and Michael- or Mikey.

"Hey guys, what's up?" Mikey grinned. He was short, about the same height as Louisa, but he made up for it in optimism and innocent childish behaviour. He had sandy blonde hair and the cheekiest hazel brown eyes ever. Mikey always dressed casually, often seen in a rock band T-shirt (not heavy metal- that was a no-no) and jeans.

"Dunno. Are there more fries up there?"

"Yeah, but you'll want to hurry. Tweedledum and Tweedledee are joining the queue." Dylan nodded in Tweedledum and Tweedledee's direction. Louisa twisted in her seat. Two blondes in a grade two above were just grabbing their trays.

"Back in a sec." Louisa was gone, red tray in her hands. Just as the blondes stepped up to the queue, Louisa was in front of them.

"She's a marvel." Dylan joked, his grey eyes lighting up with humour. He ran a hand through his strawberry blonde hair in an attempt to ruffle it. He wore a plain, sky blue T-shirt and black soccer shorts.

"Oh, look, cat-fight." Connor pointed, redirecting his friends' attentions. One of the blondes, Ayesha, snapped something at Louisa. The other blonde, Christy, nodded in agreement, trying to be all intimidating and more important.

Louisa simply smirked and turned her back on the blondes. Ayesha was outraged, digging her false nails into Louisa's shoulder and forced her to turn around. Nearly half of the cafeteria was watching.

"I wish I could get this on camera." Dylan grinned.

"Lou's gonna be in so much trouble after this." Connor mumbled.

"And not with the teachers." Mikey added.

Louisa said something, smiling sweetly. Ayesha faded an angry pink. Louisa childishly stuck her tongue out.

"You dare!" Ayesha shrieked.

"Well, I'm sorry Blondie. But it ain't ma fault that ya want ta tart yaself up 'n' look even more like a ho bag." A series of 'oohhhs' went up, all voicing what Connor, Dylan and Mikey were thinking- _burn_.

Ayesha made a horrified sound of protest and outrage.

Then she slapped Louisa.

Well, she tried to. Louisa bought her tray up and Ayesha's hand smacked sharply against it.

Christy stepped around her friend and grabbed Louisa's ponytail. Louisa grimaced slightly, before laughing evilly.

"Remind me not to get in her bad books." Connor said. His friends nodded in agreement.

"That laugh's frigging scary." Dylan muttered- he wasn't someone to admit fear, which ended up in him getting some strange looks. "What?"

"Nothing."

"Ya mind gettin' off?" Louisa asked casually, having dropped her tray.

"Take back what you said!" Christine yanked on Louisa's hair. Louisa hissed in pain, her features forming a grimace.

The grimace was quickly replaced with a murderous glare.

"Ya ain't got no life, bitch." Louisa grabbed Christine's wrist with one hand, her other hand on her own hair- (that's Lou's hair, not Christine's).

Christine cried in pain and backed up sharpish, slamming into Ayesha.

The blondes scrambled to their feet.

"You'll pay, midget!" Ayesha screamed, pointing warningly at the younger girl. Louisa laughed her evil laugh again. Teachers were fighting their way through the crowd of standing students (who had stood to get a better look).

"I ain't perfect, but at least I ain't _fake_." Thunder rumbled outside. A storm was brewing.

"That is enough!" One teacher shouted, still battling to get through.

Louisa picked up her tray and got her fries, as if nothing had happened. She returned to her table, slamming her tray down with more force than necessary.

Her three friends were staring at her in amazement.

"Wut?" She protested.

"You're amazing."

"Tell me somethin' I don't know." They grinned at her. She picked moodily at her fries. "Cowbags put me off me friggin' lunch."

"Cowbags?"

"One of ma words. Problem?" Thunder boomed again.

"Nope." Mikey smiled sweetly. Connor and Dylan had redirected their attention to outside the window.

"That's some random storm." Dylan observed.

"It'll pass." Louisa grumbled. They all looked at her. She didn't say anything, building a tower out of her fries. Instead she glared at them. They hastily returned to their lunches.

"Lou?"

"Wut?"

"The blondes have got these older cousins, right?"

"So?" _I've got a god on my side. Bitches can bring it on_.

"Well, they won't let any girl in their family take… uh…"

"Shit? Crap?"

"One of them from anyone." Connor finished.

"Are they one of them women stay in the kitchen while the men protect their women's vulnerable asses?"

"Uh, yeah. They are."

"Lou, again, you're amazing."

"And, again, tell me somethin' I don't know."

"What are you going to do about those guys?"

"Bitches can bring it on." Louisa shoved fries into her mouth.

"Nice knowing you, Lou." Louisa glared at Connor. Out of her three friends, she was closest to Connor. He had been a bit of an outsider, like her, which explained why they were good friends. Dylan and Mikey joined the gang a week later.

"Don't be such sissies. What're they gonna do?"

"Err… beat you to a pulp?"

"They're gonna hit a girl?"

"If a girl's insulted their girls, then yeah."

"Seriously, what is this world comin' to?"

"You'll find out later."

**And Lou's gonna be in a big fight (that's if I can word it right). Please review! :D **


	14. Jessica's new friend

There was a knock on the door. Jessica checked her reflection one last time before rushing to the door and pulling it open.

"Hello." Harvey grinned, holding a bouquet of red roses out to her. He was tall and athletic looking, with black hair in a Superman style. His blue eyes shone warmly. He wore jeans and a simple, yet formal white shirt, the sleeves rolled up and not tucked in.

"Ooh, thank-you." Jessica took the roses, inhaling the sweet smell. "Come in." Harvey followed her in, closing the door behind him. "Do you want a coffee?"

"Please."

"Sugar?"

"One and no milk if you don't mind." Jessica smiled kindly, disappearing into the kitchen. Harvey shed his jacket, casting his gaze around the apartment. Around the TV were blocks of shelves, holding ornaments, photos and vases of lilies.

Harvey took a closer look at one of the photos. It was of Jessica and a girl aged around ten at the beach. The girl was standing in the waves, waist deep without a care. Jessica stood with her, an arm around the girl's shoulders. The girl was pulling a silly face at the camera. They wore matching blue one-piece swimsuits.

The girl's thick raven hair was pulled back into a high ponytail. Her cheeky green eyes sparkled in the sunlight.

Jessica returned, holding a mug of steaming coffee in each hand.

"Here we go."

"Thanks." Harvey took his coffee, smiling at her, before returning his attention to the girl in the photograph. "Who's the girl?" Jessica looked too and her face lit up.

"That's Louisa. My foster daughter."

"You adopted her?"

"Yep." Jessica looked at her watch. "Oh crumbs, I have to pick her up in half an hour."

"What's she like?"

"Mad. Childish. Lovable. Impulsive and daring. Mainly mad."

"Does she have… _problems _then?" Harvey asked carefully.

"She's ADHD and dyslexic."

"You're a brave woman." Jessica smiled at the comment.

"You can come with me to pick her up if you like."

"That'll be nice."

"Just to warn you though, she's a bit wary of strangers. She might be a bit quiet around you."

"Doesn't she like to share you?" Jessica looked at him blankly. "I mean, she's adopted. She's obviously grown attached and I've heard of foster children not liking to share their foster parents. Like they don't want to lose the closest thing to family they have."

"I've never thought about it like that."

"Just a suggestion."

Louisa was the first out of the school gates, merely seconds after the bell rang. She spotted Jessica's red Rover instantly.

As she got closer, she spotted someone climbing into the back. _Who's that?_ She thought. Whoever it was, Jessica was twisted in her seat to talk to them.

Louisa darted forward and tapped loudly on the driver's window. Jessica whipped round. Louisa pulled faces at her. Jessica shook her head, smiling. _Get in_. She mouthed. Louisa shook her head. _Hot dogs_. Louisa bounded round to the shotgun seat.

"Thought that would work." Jessica said smugly, starting the engine and pulling away from the kerb.

"Hot dogs _are_ nice."

"How was school?"

"Borin'. Blonde bimbos wanted a fight. Accordin' to Connor 'n' the other two, they're gonna get their brothers or cousins on me or somethin'."

"Lou, I told you to stay out of trouble!"

"I was. I was only gettin' more fries."

"Where do you put all this food?"

"Somewhere. Who's the geezer in the back?"

"Don't call him that, Lou! His name is Harvey."

"Like Harvey Dent?" Jessica looked at her blankly. "Ya know, from _Batman_." Jessica still didn't understand. "Ugh." Louisa groaned. "Two-face?"

"Oh him." Jessica smiled. "Does he look like Two-face?" Harvey felt uncomfortable about them talking about him as if he wasn't there, but he didn't want to be rude.

Louisa twisted in her seat to look at him. Her emerald green eyes locked with his sky blue ones. Harvey gave a friendly smile.

"He looks like Superman. 'N' that's a completely different comic."

"You and your comics."

"They're good!"

"They're horrible. Especially those graphic ones."

"Yeah, yeah. Anyways, is he ya boyfriend?"

"No! He's a friend!"

"Why'd he buy ya roses then?"

"How'd you-?" Jessica's cheeks were tinged with pink.

"My amazingness."

"Is that even a word?" Harvey asked.

"Is now. Red light."

"So you like _Batman_?" Harvey asked.

"Mainly the Joker." Louisa replied, taking a huge bite out of her hotdog. A group of teenage girls on the table next to them sent her looks of disgust. Louisa glared at them, her cheeky expression hardening into a threatening one. The girls grabbed their stuff and left hastily.

Louisa finished her mouthful, still glaring after the girls. "Bimbos." She grumbled. Harvey looked at her, marvelled. "Wut?"

"Do you even know them?" Louisa shook her head, biting into her hotdog again.

"Know who?" Jessica asked, sitting next to Louisa with a blue, plastic tray laden with hotdogs, fries and three milkshakes- two chocolate and a vanilla. Louisa snatched up another hotdog.

"These girls-" Harvey started.

"Some more blonde bimbos that were givin' me evil eye for eatin'."

"Typical, skinny teenagers?" Jessica asked. Louisa nodded. "Ignore them, Lou. You're fine."

"I ain't fine, I'm awesome."

"OK, if you say so." Louisa pulled a face again.

"I'll tell ma dad." Harvey frowned. Jessica noticed and hesitated. "Tell him if ya want, but he'll be knocked dead by my awesomeness." Jessica smiled and rolled her eyes. Louisa reached over and poked Jessica in the side.

"Lou!" She protested.

"I told ya. Every time ya roll ya eyes at me, I'm gonna poke ya." Jessica groaned, restraining herself from rolling her eyes again. Then she saw Harvey's confused expression. He was looking back and forth between her and Louisa.

"Um… I'll explain when we get home, OK? Lou tends to attract… a lot of trouble." Louisa smiled sweetly.

**I'm still working on the fight. That will hopefully be up soon with another idea I'm working on. **

**Review pretty please with a cherry on top! **


	15. Ninja Lou

**Sorry I haven't updated in a while. **

**This is the day after Louisa ticked off the blondes. **

"Oy, shrimp." Louisa carried on walking. "Shrimp!" Louisa carried on walking.

"Uh, Lou… Mack and Butch are talking to you."

"Mm?" Louisa hummed, having not heard Connor.

"Mack and Butch. Talking to you." Louisa looked over her shoulder to see two boys about fourteen storming towards her, pushing smaller kids out of the way. They were built like quarter backs.

"Mack 'n' Butch? Cheesy names much."

"I know, but they're Ayesha and Christy's cousins."

"Good ta know." Louisa stopped at her locker, trying to remember the code.

"Shrimp!" Louisa sighed, resting her forehead against the cold metal of the lockers. _What is that bloody code?_

By then, Mack and Butch had reached her. They had dark hair cropped in military style. They wore Army camouflage trousers, white T-shirts and Army boots. Yep, that made them tough.

Connor moved away as Butch and Mack stood either side of Louisa.

"_Then I'm gone without a trace, And I'll rob a bank, While chee and steal, Derail a fuckin train, Cause you know that I will._" Louisa mumbled quietly. Hollywood Undead was her favourite band.

"Shrimp, we're talking to you." Louisa started humming the tune to Hollywood Undead's _Bullet_.

Mack bunched his fists. He drew one back.

Louisa ducked, Mack's fist slamming into the locker metal, denting the door.

The brute hissed in pain. Butch grabbed Louisa's upper arm. She took no notice of them, more interested in the dent in the door. Would her damn locker still open?

Butch spun Louisa around to look at him.

"Dude, two words- Breath. Mint." Butch snarled at her, slamming her back against the locker. "Ow." Louisa said. It didn't really hurt- slamming into a tree hurt more and she knew that from her tumble down a hill two years ago.

"You dissed our cousins. Ain't no-one get away with that." Mack growled.

"Seriously? Ya know how pathetic ya sound? Ya act all tough 'n' Mr Macho, but ya as fake as ya damn cousins." This time, they both drew back their fists. Louisa sighed. What was this world coming to?

Louisa bought her knee up and kicked Butch in his soft spot. Instantly he let go of her, staggering back and holding his hurting bits. She dodged Mack's swing and slammed her fist into his gut.

While Butch complained about his thing hurting, Mack rained punches on Louisa, who artfully dodged all of them.

Louisa jumped onto a bench. "Ya too slow." She teased. Mack yelled angrily, aiming to punch her in the stomach. Louisa acted quickly, roundhouse kicking him in the face. **(Felt like putting a roundhouse kick in). **

Butch had recovered by then. Louisa jumped off the bench and sprinted down the corridor, Butch hot on her heels.

Louisa spotted a stairwell to her left. She grabbed the barrier and vaulted over it, landing halfway down the first flight. She rounded the corner and bounded down the steps two at a time, jumping the last four.

She had escaped onto the playground just as Butch reached the bottom step.

Directly opposite her was a metal mesh fence. Behind that was a large oak, a thick branch reaching over the fence. Teachers were milling about, but their attention was drawn to her as Butch thundered out the door behind her.

Louisa made a break for it, jumping and landing on the fence. She scrambled up it, aiming for the branch.

The fence shuddered. Butch was climbing up after her.

Louisa quickened her climb, reaching out for the branch.

It only took a few seconds to get on the branch and then scramble along it to the trunk. From there, she jumped down, landing on the soft grass beneath.

She was out. Butch was stuck.

Louisa pulled a face at Butch, grinning cheekily. "Ya too slow 'n' too fat."

Then she started walking home.

**Let me know what you think! :D **


	16. Apollo sells hotdogs

Louisa looked at the hotdog sign, trying to figure out which of she wanted:

_Drastnad gtdoho – hiwt smtuadr nda tchkepu_

_Mubjo gtdoho – twih mtsadru adn pektchu _

And several others she didn't want to stand and fail to read.

"You OK, girl?"

"Yeah." The hotdog seller looked at his sign, chewing on a piece of gum while he refilled the ketchup bottle.

"Is it my writing?" He asked.

"No. I'm dyslexic."

"Ah, right." He grinned. Louisa returned the smile. "What'd ya fancy then? We've got standard hotdog with mustard and ketchup if you want. Jumbo hotdog, same toppings. King size dog with toppings."

"King size dog please."

"Really?"

"Wut? I'm hungry." The man chuckled and started preparing the requested dog.

"Why aren't you at school?" Louisa shrugged. The man didn't press her, but he was smirking. A minute later, he handed her a freshly made dog. She swapped it for money.

"Thanks, dude."

"Anytime. Quick question?" She looked at him, biting into the hotdog. "You look like you surf."

"I do?" She asked through a mouthful.

"Yeah. My niece surfs- you've got a similar build."

"Huh. Well, I have a couple of times, but that's 'bout it." Louisa was thinking _weird old guy_.

"I may be weird, but I'm not old." Louisa nearly choked on her hotdog.

"Ya what?" The man smiled, his eyes glinting a golden, sunshine yellow. "Apollo." She shook her head. "Greek god ain't old." Apollo waved this away, smiling.

"How you doing, Lou?"

"Life's cool. School's pants."

"Figured. Nice round house kick though."

"Thanks." Louisa chewed on the hot dog. "For a god, ya make damn nice hotdogs." Apollo smiled.

"You be good, Lou." Apollo snapped his fingers. His civilian clothes changed into something punk and colourful. He held an electric guitar, strumming a few chords. "Apollo is rocking out." Louisa snickered, diverting her gaze as he flashed away.

Unfortunately the hot dog stand was gone too.


	17. Principal's office

The next day, Jessica and Louisa were invited into the principal's office.

The office was bland - mainly mahogany furniture, which made Louisa see it as a dead forest- a desk in the centre with a state of the art computer. Book shelves lined the walls. The wall behind the desk was obscured mainly by a large rectangle window that had an intimidating view of the grounds. Under the window were mahogany cupboards.

The principal was as bland as her office, with mouse brown hair cut into a bob, pale skin, dull grey eyes and a dark grey suit with a knee length skirt, white blouse and polished 'old granny shoes', as Louisa called them.

"So, Louisa, I've been told you got into a fight and then played truant." Jessica shot Louisa an irritated side long glance. Louisa paid no attention.

"They started it."

"As you say, but I was told that you annoyed Ayesha and Christy during lunch in the canteen."

"They were sayin' sh- stupid stuff," Louisa caught herself, "'bout ma height. I'm short, but I can kick ass." Jessica managed to turn an unexpected laugh into a cough. Even the principal smiled thinly.

"We do not approve fights here, Louisa."

"'Kay."

"I'm being serious, Louisa."

"'Kay."

"Lou, fighting isn't good, remember? We talked about it." Jessica intervened.

"We did?" Jessica glared at her. "Oh, right. With _Harvey_."

"Lou…" Jessica warned.

"Who's Harvey?"

"Jessica's boyfriend."

"He is not my boyfriend! Just a friend, alright?"

"He gives ya flowers. 'N' he's always round for a _cup of tea_."

"That does not mean he's my- Don't mumble!"

"I weren't mumblin'." Louisa grumbled.

"You were."

"Weren't. Boyfriend." She added in an undertone.

"Lou…" Jessica warned again. Louisa sighed, kicking the toe of her trainer across the carpet, her arms folded.

"I think I see what's going on here." The principal, Ms. Skipper, looked at Louisa. "Do you like Harvey?" Louisa shrugged, not looking up.

Then she found a new toy. **(I can't remember what they're called!)**

It was made up of two silver racks, parallel to each other. Hanging from the racks on fine, strong metal strings were silver metal balls **(don't be dirty minded!). **If the end ball was swung the opposite ball was bounce up and swing back down, creating a similar reaction with the first ball. **(We do know what I'm on about right? WHAT'S IT CALLED?!)**

Jessica couldn't help but laugh as the ADHD part of Louisa took over and she became fascinated with her new toy. The principal watched in confusion for a minute before taking Louisa's toy away hurriedly. Louisa looked confused and then remembered why she was in the principal's office.

"Sorry." She mumbled.

"That's quite alright, Louisa."

"I know what to get you for Christmas now." Jessica smiled. Louisa returned it cheekily.

The principal cleared her throat, bringing her two visitors back to the present.

"Louisa, we cannot have you fighting." Louisa gave a small innocent smile. "Why do you fight?"

"Uh… 'Cos gits like Butch and Mack are askin' for it."

"Language." The principal tutted, looking at Jessica.

"I've tried everything I can think of to stop her swearing. Doesn't work." Ms Skipper gave a curt nod.

"How about we organise you to exercise your frustration towards others on something that won't hurt others as much?"

"Like what?" The principal spread her hands, as if displaying options.

"Some form of martial arts, perhaps. Boxing, karate, judo- something like that. My nephew does karate- very disciplined and respectful."

"Jessica, ya know ya love me…" Jessica sighed, smiling.

"I'll think about it, alright? You're violent enough and really don't need the encouragement."

"I'm not that violent."

"You threatened to shove the neighbour's head through a window, throw him down the flights of stairs until the lobby and then drag him around the block while dropping tacks on the floor."

"Then I said I'll shove his head up his ass." Louisa sniggered.

"You're pure evil."

"Thanks." The principal blinked at the young girl, trying to wrap her head around the fact that such a small, _innocent _looking girl would threaten to do such things.

"You… wouldn't actually do that though, would you?"

"Depends what mood I'm in." The principal swallowed nervously. Louisa grinned evilly, a twisted gleam in her eyes.


	18. Boxing, no hotdog and who's this?

Louisa had been boxing for a few weeks. She had successfully encouraged Dylan, Mikey and Connor to pick the sport up as well, although Connor was more intent on watching his friends' fighting skill rather than join in. Hitting people wasn't one of his strong points.

Louisa slammed her right fist into the punching bag. It swung, spinning to the side slightly. She hit it away with her left followed with a quick right hook. She didn't wear proper boxing gloves like Mikey and Dylan, but ones that covered most of her fingers, protected her knuckles and her wrists.

She wasn't in a particularly good mood, pummelling the punching bag repeatedly.

Harvey had visited yesterday for a 'cup of tea'. Again.

Louisa gritted her teeth, landing her punches harder, imagining Harvey's face getting bloodier and bloodier.

Connor watched her nervously. Louisa wasn't one to annoy, but she had mostly stayed out of trouble since she took up boxing. If asked what was the matter, she would say 'nothin'' and then ask about the latest basketball game.

"Bloody-fathead-pompous-smarmy-_jerk_." With each word, she slammed her fists alternately into the punching bag. Her voice rang with anger on the word 'jerk' and she hit the punch bag with so much force; it fell off its hook, landing on the lino floor with a dull, heavy thud.

Dylan and Mikey had stopped sparring, looking worriedly at their friend.

"Lou? You OK, gurl?" Connor asked. **(Connor is the human version of a character from one of my own stories- not a fanfic. The other Connor is a mutant lizard and he calls his best friend, Crystal- who is human- 'gurl' with which she'll reply to with 'boy'). **

Louisa didn't answer, asking for help to return the punching bag to its hook. One of their instructors moved forward.

As soon as it was back on the hook, Louisa carried on with the punches, a look of intense anger and determination on her face. She looked so ticked off; Connor didn't want to move from the safe distance he was at, fearful of losing his head.

Thankfully, Dylan was the courageous one of the three boys. With another instructor's help, he removed his boxing gloves. Then he left the ring, leaving Mikey to box lightly against the instructor.

"What's the matter, Lou?"

"Nothin'." Louisa retorted through gritted teeth, strengthening her punches and increasing the speed of them. Dylan stood behind the punching bag and caught it when it swung towards him.

She glared at him.

"You can have your punching bag back if you tell us what's wrong."

"I told ya - _nothin'_."

"That explains why you're slamming the stuffing out of this." Dylan tilted the punching bag towards her. "Seriously, Lou, what's up?" Louisa didn't say anything, lunging forward and stomping on Dylan's foot. He instantly let go of the punch bag, hopping about and holding his hurting foot. Louisa instantly picked up the continuous pummelling of it.

* * *

In the afternoon, Jessica took Louisa and her three friends out for a late lunch/early dinner. Obviously, Louisa got hotdogs while her friends got cheese/ham burgers and fries.

"How was boxing then?" Jessica asked, snapping the burnt end of a fry off.

"It was OK. We got taught how to wind someone properly. You have to hit them in their… uh…" Mikey trailed off; trying to place the word he was looking for.

"Solar plexus." Connor said.

"Yeah, that. It's hard to hit them hard enough to actually do any fatal damage, but it's great if you want to knock the wind out of someone."

"Very nice." Jessica nodded. Connor caught her eye and gave a discreet nod in Louisa's direction.

Louisa was picking at the hotdog, peeling bits of bread off and dropping them in the cardboard hot dog tray.

"What's the matter, Lou? You always eat your hotdogs." Louisa shrugged, tearing a chunk from the bread. Jessica noticed her foster daughter's tense shoulders and the dark look in her eyes. "Lou, talk to me." Louisa remained silent, but her expression changed by the smallest fraction ever- the start of a grimace.

Jessica sighed. "We'll talk later then."

"That's if Harvey ain't round for a _cup of tea_." Louisa spat the last three words.

"Lou, if you don't like him, I'll get rid of him, OK?"

"No ya won't. Ya _happy _with him." Louisa ripped the hotdog in two. Then she got up and left, muttering something about getting some air and leaving her hotdog uneaten and in pieces.

* * *

Louisa kicked a stone, biting back a string of curses. She felt as if her skin was on fire and it was so painful, it took all she could muster not to shout in pain.

Something was going to happen.

Something bad.

Louisa cracked her knuckles. Jessica had told her not to do this- _you'll get arthritis, Lou. Stop it_.

_Check your pockets_. Poseidon advised. Louisa hurriedly did so, trying to stop herself from rubbing at her skin to ease the burning feeling.

She found a watch. It had a reddish-brown leather strap and a red clock face with a gold ring around it.

_Yup, I really need to tell time._

_Turn the ring clockwise and you gain a sword. Turn it anticlockwise and you get a bow and arrows._

_And it still tells time?_

_Yes._

_They should make more watches like this. Thanks Dad._

_Just burn something for me later, Louisa._

_Yes Dad. _

_Now run_. As Poseidon told her that, a scream went up from amongst the crowds, followed by a harmony of angry screeches.

Louisa caught the glimpse of two bat-like creatures flying low over the crowds and a _thing _that was half bat-like creature and half human that was pushing its way through the crowds.

_What are they?_

_Kindly Ones. Run!_

Louisa didn't need to be told twice, the burning feeling across her skin tripling suddenly as all three Kindly Ones spotted her. The one amongst the crowds completed its transformation into a bat and they all soared towards her.

She sprinted away, pushing through the crowds and yelling at people to move.

Having mostly grown up in the wilderness, always on the move, she had gained powerful legs that aided in super-fast running. Her father once told her to race a wood nymph, to try and beat them to become even faster. That's what she had done when she could. The wood nymphs had been happy to help, going easy on her at first, racing her while in tree form before they started to race her on their own two feet.

Louisa was flat out sprinting for ten minutes when she rounded the corner and slammed into someone.

"Sorry, sorry." She breathed, scrambling to her feet.

"That's OK. Why are you running?" Louisa pulled the boy she had knocked over to his feet.

"Uh… bad people. Don't worry." She added hastily at his stricken expression. He looked familiar, but she couldn't think where from. He had thick jet black hair, curious green eyes and an even tan. He was of similar height to her, wearing simple jeans and a blue T-shirt.

The Kindly Ones shrieked again.

"I have ta go. Sorry for runnin' ya down." He grinned cheekily.

"It's cool." Louisa ran off again, but not before he heard a woman's stricken cry of: "Percy?!"

**Ooh, who's that? **

**:D **


	19. AN- LOUISA HAS FACEBOOK?

**Right, random idea I had in the least… oh, maybe six seconds. Who thinks I should give Louisa a Facebook account just to annoy the heck out of people? Obviously, it'll be me being her, but it'll be Louisa and not me, if that makes sense. **

**If you all think that's a good idea, send me your Facebook names and Louisa Smith-Jackson will add you ASAP. Which now means I have drawings to do... mmm... any ideas for drawings of Lou? I'll see what I can do with them- I'm not an amazing drawer :) **


	20. Monster after monster after monster

_Kill the Kindly Ones… Kill the Kindly Ones… Kill the Kindly Ones… _

It was a repetitive mantra, screaming and tearing at her mind.

Louisa was now outside, having run away from the large crowds to find an open space with less innocent people.

She turned into an alley and leant against the wall, breathing hard. Sprinting non-stop for half an hour without lunch- which now seemed like a good idea- was difficult.

The Kindly Ones shrieked again. There were few screams. Few mortals were hanging around, enjoying the offers in many of the shops.

Louisa took a deep breath; standing straight and turning the ring around the clock face anticlockwise. Instantly she was gifted with a metallic blue-green bow and a matching quiver of arrows. This was so much better and cooler than her hand made one.

_The quiver never runs out of arrows._

_That is so cool._

Louisa peered out of the alleyway. The Kindly Ones were flying low in circles around the streets, their beady eyes scanning the ground for her.

Louisa prepped the bow, pulling the arrow taut. She aimed for the nearest Kindly One, the arrow trained on its slow movements.

_It's a deer looking for food. It's a deer looking for food. It's an incredibly ugly, shit faced deer looking for a demigod to eat…_ Repeating this to herself in her mind helped ease her nerves slightly.

She loosed the arrow. It flew through the air without a sound, landing with a dull thud in the Kindly One's shoulder. It cried in pain, but the cry was cut short when it exploded into yellow dust.

Unfortunately, the other Kindly Ones had heard.

Louisa shot a second down as they veered round to zone in on their friend's demise spot. The first reared up, tucking its wings in and plummeting towards Louisa.

The demigod saw that as a good time to turn and run.

But she didn't. Her instincts were screaming at her to hold her ground, arrow loosely held in the bow.

Louisa jumped out of the way at the last moment. The Kindly One collided with a nearby dumpster with a sickening crunch of bone and a duller creak of metal as the dumpster's lid was deeply dented.

"Louisa?!"

"Lou, where'd you go?" Louisa cursed silently. The Kindly One stirred, lifting its head to hiss at Louisa. Louisa reacted by plunging an arrow into the demon's eye. It howled in pain, bursting into dust and covering Louisa in its essence.

Louisa spat a mouthful of foul monster dust onto the floor. _Damn that bitch…_ She thought angrily.

"Lou!" That was Jessica. "Lou, where are-oh my…" Louisa ran out of the alley as Jessica screamed and the boys yelled in shock and fear.

The frigging Minotaur was charging towards Jessica and the boys.

"HEY!" Louisa shouted, firing an arrow at the beast. The Minotaur skidded to a halt, its sharp horn inches from skewering Jessica and Mikey. Mikey looked ready to be sick. The arrow didn't have as much effect on the beast as it did the Kindly Ones, but it got the thing's attention. "OY, DUMBASS!"

"RARRR!" Louisa stood her ground as the Minotaur dragged its hoof along the concrete before charging her. Louisa fired repeatedly at point blank range, sometimes up to three arrows at a time.

The Minotaur staggered; its face, neck and shoulders peppered with arrows. It bellowed at her in rage, throwing the smell of rotten meat into her face. Louisa replied by covering her nose and mouth with the front of her jacket.

"Breath mint, dude. Minotaur size." Louisa shook her hand and her knife slid from its holster concealed under her sleeve. She caught it by the handle. The Minotaur raised its meaty hands. "'N' a bath." The jacket was having little effect.

Louisa plunged her knife into the Minotaur's head, running the blade into his brain up to the hilt, hearing the satisfying crack of skull.

The Minotaur disintegrated, coating Louisa's trainers with yellow monster dust. She kicked the dust about for a few seconds before remembering her shell shocked friends and Jessica.

"Uh, Lou?" Connor pointed at something far above her head, a look of sheer terror in his eyes.

Louisa turned, but wasn't quick enough. A harpy collided with her, the talons on its feet digging into her upper right arm. She grimaced, gritting her teeth against the pain.

The harpy was… strange. It was thin and skeletal, its feathers ragged, dull and limp. Its skin was taut on its protruding bones, tinged yellow and unhealthy. Its eyes were glowing red, bloodthirsty and furious.

It screeched. As if replying, the sound of flapping wings and echoing shrieks filled the air.

Louisa plunged her knife into the harpy's side, firmly keeping her mouth and eyes shut. The yellow dust rained down on her.

When she opened her eyes, she cursed loudly in Greek.

Swooping and soaring, shrieking and screaming, flashes of dull colours were dozens upon dozens of harpies, all as skeletal and as ugly as the first.

She may never run out of arrows, but there were too many harpies for her to shoot down on her own. What was she going to do?

She looked at Jessica and her friends. This was her fault. Being a daughter of Poseidon, she was guaranteed to attract unwanted attention.

_Keep them safe, Dad, please_. There was no verbal response, but a sea breeze rushed past her, blanketing her burning skin in a thin sheen of water.

Louisa started shooting, arrows in bundles of three and four. It was as if snow burst into life in clumps dotted about the sky, but this 'snow' was yellow.

Some brave harpies swooped down, clawing at her flesh. She stabbed at the ones that got too close and shot others before they even reached her. The sleeves of her T-shirt were damp and stained with blood. Her arms were aching and the ache was spreading to her shoulders. Shooting was going to become a problem.

Pain flared across her shoulders. Louisa was taken by surprise. The harpy that had sneak attacked her had flown away before she could attack it in return.

Blood soaked her back, the pain white hot and numbing at the same time.

_Too many bloody harpies…_ _Too many bloody harpies… Lou, think! _Louisa shot another harpy, before remembering the other function of the watch- a sword.

She had never properly fought or trained with a sword, normally using her knife or an archery set. But a sword she could use for further close range, slicing down multiple harpies if they came close enough.

Louisa imagined the bow and arrows returning to watch form. Within seconds, it did just that. She turned the ring clockwise and a balanced sword grew in her hand. It was a bronze-gold colour and was amazing, deadly sharp and at least two and a half feet to three feet long, from hilt to tip.

A harpy with dull purple wings zoomed towards her. Louisa slashed out and it disintegrated.

Suddenly, as one, the harpies let out a deafening, blood chilling shriek. Mikey cried out in fear. Louisa stole a glance towards them, grateful for the sea green dome protecting them.

The harpies bombed down towards her. Louisa couldn't slash at them all at once.

What was she going to do?


	21. Water and storm

Louisa yelled in frustration and anger, dragging her sword through harpy after harpy.

Fire hydrants exploded, water shooting fifteen feet into the air and creating a giant watery dome above them. Above that a storm grew thick, angry and dangerous. The road and sidewalks cracked and tiny columns of water spurted up. The pressure built and the water exploded out of the ground.

The harpies were thrown into mass hysteria, trying to defend against the water that slammed into them, with so much force they disintegrated.

Louisa sliced down any that got too close, slowly backing up to get to her friends and Jessica. Her free hand reached out behind her, blindly searching for the surface of the green dome. A harpy dived at her and lost its head.

Energy zapped Louisa's fingertips and sparked up her arm and spread to her injuries. She risked the glance back and saw her hand pressed against the dome. Behind it, her friends and Jessica watched her. Their expressions ranged from scared to awed, staring at her.

Louisa simply sunk to the floor.

The water suddenly collapsed and flooded the streets. Louisa remained dry and she was fully healed up, but still covered in blood. The others were dry too and water ran off the dome.

The harpies were gone, but the storm still brewed overhead.

Louisa was exhausted. She leant against the dome for it only to disappear a few seconds later. She fell back and ended up looking up at the boys and Jessica.

"Lou… you've got some serious explaining to do." Connor said, folding his arms.

"Later. Fightin' monsters, controllin' all that water 'n' making that storm is bloody tirin'." Her three friends looked at her bewildered.

"Let's get you home, Lou, OK?"

"Gladly."

**I know it's not the long chap you probably were hoping for, but it does kinda show what Louisa can do when she's pissed off. **

**Would be so kind as to leave me one of those lovely little messages called reviews? I am sure that once Louisa is well rested, she will be after you for not reviewing on her awesomely epic skills fighting monsters. **


	22. MERRY CHRISTMAS

_**MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! **_

_**HAVE FUN AND DON'T GET DRUNK! **_


	23. OPINIONS NEEDED- SORRY!

**I have FINALLY got Mark of Athena (happy dance) but I'm already on chapter 10 and I don't want to read it too quickly or I'll have to wait a year for the next one :( **

**I'm also not happy that Rick's made Leo kinda evil (sorry for spoilers in case anyone hasn't read it). Leo's my fave character! I was THIS close to writing a letter of complaint to Rick, but then again, I love his books (mainly Percy Jackson, of course), so I can't really do that :D **

**I came up with making Louisa, my OC, be in the Mark of Athena, kinda rewrite it, but so that Leo's 100% evil and Louisa's there to kick ass as usual. But I don't know. I can't make Lou the main character in such an awesome story. What'd you guys think? **

**Anyhoo, MERRY CHRISTMAS! **


	24. Out of date godly food is deadly

"So, you're a… demigod?" Louisa nodded, eating the last of the small portion of ambrosia Jessica had given her.

"No more, Lou."

"I know, I know."

"What is that stuff?"

"Ambrosia." Jessica replied, sitting next to Louisa and checking Louisa's forehead. She was relieved to see Louisa's temperature was normal. "Food of the gods. It also has healing properties for demigods, but too much can make them burn into ashes."

"Really?" Louisa glared at Dylan. He was instantly contrite. "That's, um, bad."

"What if we had some of that?"

"You'd burn up in seconds." Louisa replied evenly, as if it were an everyday occurrence. Her three friends looked at her in bewilderment. "What?"

"Lou, when you're talking about someone… burning up like that, try to sound a little bit sympathetic."

"But I don't do sympathy."

"I know you don't, but still…" Jessica checked Louisa's temperature again before asking if anyone wanted cookies.

"Ooh, yum, me!"

"Thought you might, Lou." Louisa smiled sweetly.

While Jessica was gone the boys found their voices again.

"I bet it'll be so cool to be a demigod." Connor grinned.

"If ya don't mind monsters chasin' ya every time ya go out."

"Yeah, but I could have a sword…" Dylan said, almost dreamily.

"Monsters that want ta eat ya for dinner."

"Lou!" Jessica scolded from the kitchen.

"Sorry!" Louisa looked at her friends. "They wanna catch ya, beat ya up until ya beg for mercy 'n' then they'll kill ya 'n' eat ya for dinner."

"_Lou_!" Louisa chuckled evilly. Her friends didn't seem so keen on the idea of being a demigod anymore.

"Lou, you didn't say who your… godly parent was." Mikey said carefully.

"You figure it out." Louisa retorted. Dylan turned to Connor.

"Which godly parent would you have and why?"

"Oh, um… I don't know a lot about the Greek gods… um… what about you?" Dylan shrugged. "Mike?" Connor asked, leaning forward to look around Dylan. Mikey shrugged too. "Brilliant." Connor slouched in his seat.

"Lou, please tell us who your godly parent is." Mikey pleaded.

"No."

"Why?"

"'Cos I don't wanna tell ya."

"Why?"

"Why not?"

"You can't answer a question with a question."

"I'll do what I want, thanks."

"But-" Louisa coughed. All sound from the kitchen stopped.

"Are you OK, Lou?"

"Fine." Louisa replied thickly, trying not to cough again.

Random coughing fit. Sweet. If this stayed, she could get out of school on Monday.

The front door opened.

"I'm home!" Harvey called.

"Not your home." Louisa said, her voice so thick it was as if she had forgotten how to breathe.

"Heard that." Harvey spat.

"Good." Louisa wheezed.

"You're not asthmatic, are you?" Mikey asked worriedly. Louisa shook her head, trying to breathe in. "Jessica!" Mikey shouted. Jessica hurried from the kitchen.

Harvey sighed. Louisa looking for attention again, no doubt. He hung his coat up on the hook just as there was a knock on the door. He grumbled before forcing a smile and pulling the door open.

He didn't recognise the man at the door.

"Evening. Excuse me." The man pushed through. Harvey was too stunned to retort.

Jessica looked up as the man appeared to Louisa's other side. She looked so relieved that it angered Harvey. Louisa's eyes found his and anger flared in them. If she could breathe, Harvey would regret that jealous look. He did not own her foster mom.

Harvey looked from Louisa to the man and back again. Louisa's friends were doing the same.

The same thick, jet black hair, the same sea green hair, the same tanned skin and the same brooding look that got Louisa branded a trouble-maker.

This was Louisa's dad.

Louisa looked at her father, glaring at him.

"It isn't my fault, Lou. Just keep still." Louisa's eyes gained a sarcastic gleam as if to say 'not a problem'. Poseidon conjured up a glass of some strange liquid. Louisa recognised it as nectar.

Jessica was trying not to panic. Louisa had been fine after the ambrosia, but now she was burning up as if someone had coated her in kerosene and set fire to her.

Poseidon aided his daughter in drinking the nectar. Louisa's eyes cleared and she stopped drinking to breathe.

"Thank gods…" She breathed. Poseidon smiled, holding the glass to her lips again. "Let me breathe, Dad. Nearly _died_."

"I know, but this will help." Louisa rolled her eyes. "Don't- Nevermind." She smiled cheekily at him before taking the glass with shaking hands and drinking it herself.

"What happened?" Jessica asked.

"Um, I would like to see the ambrosia you gave her." Jessica nodded and led Poseidon into the kitchen.

"Blooming hell, Lou! Are you trying to scare us?" Connor scolded.

"Don't need to try." Louisa countered, smiling mischievously. Connor glared at her. Louisa looked him up and down, seeing no challenge. She merely went back to finishing her nectar.

"Lou?"

"Mm?" Louisa looked round, still drinking, as Jessica moved from the kitchen, wringing her hands and looking sheepish.

"Did you know about out of date ambrosia?" Louisa stared blankly at her. "Me neither." Louisa lowered the glass.

"Ya can get out of date godly food?" Poseidon appeared and nodded. "Huh. Weird."

"Do rest, Louisa. I'll have Hermes drop a fresh supply of ambrosia and nectar by later." He told Jessica.

"OK, thank-you." Louisa noticed the rubbish bag in Poseidon's hand.

"So gods do take the trash out." She said, looking up at her father. Poseidon chuckled.

"Just this once, Louisa. The old ambrosia and nectar. It must be disposed of properly."

"How?" Poseidon tapped his nose. "Aw wut?"

"If I told you, you'd find some sort of way to make a weapon."

"How'd ya know I'd do that?"

"Because I'd do exactly the same thing if I had the time." Louisa grinned.

"Great minds think alike, Dad." Poseidon nodded in agreement.

"Well, must go." The sea god looked at the stunned Harvey. "Very sorry for rushing in like that, but at least I had the manners to knock."

"At least someone does." Jessica looked pointedly at Louisa.

"Wut?" The demigod protested. Jessica sighed.

"You're a nightmare."

"Thanks."

"Why do you take most minor insults and turn them into compliments?"

"Um, because I can? 'Cos it annoys the hell outta people."

"So, if we said that you were beautiful enough to be a princess…" Mikey started. Louisa's eyes hardened.

"I'd take that as offense 'cos princesses are all horrible 'n' pink 'n' girly…" Louisa pulled a face. "Bleugh. Disgusting creatures…"

"Everything Louisa's not." Jessica said.

"Very gladly not." Louisa corrected.


	25. Shopping nightmare

"Lou, I am not getting you chocolate cereal."

"Aw, wut? Why?"

"You're hyper during the day. I like the calm in the morning."

"Yeah, well, I like choccie cereal." Louisa dumped the three chocolate hoop boxes back in the shopping cart. Jessica got them back out again. "I can keep this up all day."

"I know you can, but I can't. Someone has to tidy that pigsty you call a bedroom."

"Ya said a hurricane hit it. Which is kinda convenient, 'cos, ya know, hurricanes…?" Louisa flicked her fingers and a gust of wind whipped through Jessica's hair. "They're mine."

"Technically, they're your dad's."

"Ugh, I hate technical things." Louisa knocked the chocolate hoops out of Jessica's arms and dumped the back in the trolley.

"You can have one, not three."

"I can work with that." Louisa took one box and started to walk off. She smiled sweetly as Jessica shook her head at her. "See, I have one box." Louisa held it up pointedly.

"You cheeky moo."

"Baa." Jessica laughed. Louisa disappeared around the corner.

This was the first time in four months she had taken Louisa shopping. Last time, Louisa had nearly killed the manager because he was accusing her of destroying the frozen department. Jessica smiled at the memory-

"_It wasn't my fault the bloody Kindly One found me. It's Dad's fault- can't keep it in his toga."_

"_Louisa!" Louisa laughed. "Horrible, _horrible _girl." _

Louisa snapped her fingers in Jessica's face.

"Oy, I'm back."

"In one piece? Wow."

"Funny. What were ya thinkin'?"

"About your last time here." Louisa grinned devilishly, reminding Jessica of Louisa's relation to Hades.

"That was fun."

"If you say so. Let's just get this trip over with, OK?"

"Can we go to the frozen food bit?"

"No!" Jessica gained a few strange looks from other shoppers. She smiled at them. "Lou, will you stop it?!" She hissed.

"Stop what?" Louisa asked. Jessica looked round to see Louisa had walked on and was getting banana milkshake. Jessica smiled. Louisa could be kind- banana milk was Jessica's favourite.

"Just stay where I can see you and stop asking questions that you know I'll say 'no' to."

"I wouldn't ask questions if I knew the answer." Louisa countered, setting the two, large bottles of banana milk in the trolley. "Which would be on a rare occasion."

"You read my mind."

"Hey!" Louisa protested. Jessica gave a triumphant laugh and carried on.

Ten minutes later, while Jessica was checking for bacon with as little fat as possible, she felt a tug on her arm. She looked round and saw Louisa's annoyed expression.

"What's the matter?"

"Three old hags have been followin' us."

"For how long?" Louisa looked at her watch.

"'Bout eight minutes." Louisa glanced over Jessica's shoulder. "'N' they're gettin' loads of meat too." Jessica looked round and saw the three old ladies filling individual carts with a wide range of meat, piling it in as if the world was going to end in five minutes.

"Right, try and stay low then, Lou, OK?" Louisa nodded.

"Can we go to the toy bit?" Jessica smiled.

"You're such a child."

"I am a child. Can we go?"

"Let me get some fruit and veg and then we'll go, OK?" Louisa nodded, grinning.

Louisa was absolutely fascinated by the Mythomagic toys. Not because she wanted them, but because she enjoyed spotting the vast amount of differences between the toys and the gods themselves.

"Louisa, stop it!"

"Sorry!"

"No you're not!"

"I know, but it's fun." Louisa stood the box with the Zeus action figure on his head. She rummaged about and found as many Poseidon toys and pulled them to the front.

"Right, come on, Lou."

"Are we goin'?"

"Yes."

"Oh. Can I get an Athena first, please? I'll pay ya when we get home." Jessica gave Louisa five dollars a week. Louisa, not being allowed out on her own, had rare occasions where and when she could spend this money. And she wasn't fully trusted to keep money on her without losing it or spending it on hotdogs.

"OK, just the Athena though."

"Thanks." Louisa insisted on holding her new toy, claiming the trolley was full.

Jessica almost had a heart attack when Louisa suddenly darted to the other side of the aisle.

"Lou?"

"Snake." Louisa mumbled. Jessica looked round. There was a basket of stuffed, soft toy snakes and one had fallen to the floor. It was highly realistic, especially when looking at it from the corner of her eye. That must have been what Louisa had done.

"You don't like snakes?" Louisa shook her head, a guarded look in her eyes. "Never knew that." Jessica returned the toy before holding her hand out to Louisa. "Let's get home, OK?" Louisa nodded, allowing Jessica to keep a reassuring arm around her.

At the checkout, Louisa seemed more relaxed, but she was watching the checkout attendant strangely.

"Is she OK?" The attendant, a middle age woman wearing a headscarf that fell over her eyes, asked. She had tanned, slightly wrinkled skin.

"Um, she's just tired. Lou, meat and veg don't go in the same bag." Louisa hurriedly corrected her shopping packing.

"Lou? Is that short for Louise or Louisa?" The till attendant asked nicely, smiling sweetly. Louisa just stared at her, stony-faced. "I take it you've taught her not to talk to strangers?"

"More or less." Jessica caught Louisa's eye, noticing a warning gleam. Jessica looked round and saw the three old ladies joining the end of the queue. Jessica finished packing and filled the trolley. She paid and ushered Louisa away. "Lou?"

"Four." Louisa said, cracking her knuckles.

"Don't do that." Jessica gently prised Louisa's hands apart with one hand, walking quickly. "Four? Where?"

"Eight." Louisa said, looking at a security guard. His beady eyes followed her suspiciously.

They were ten metres from the door.

"Lou, how can you tell?" Louisa shrugged.

"Always have. Thirteen. Fifteen."

"OK, OK, stop it." Louisa nodded, but Jessica could tell she was tallying monsters up in her head. Louisa's eyes darted around the shopping centre, from shoppers to security guards and shop workers to the odd guide dog.

They reached the shop entrance. Louisa started cracking her knuckles again as the shop alarms blared. Two security guards waved at them to stop and muscled over.

"No, just go."

"Lou-"

"Go!" Louisa snapped, grabbing the trolley and running for it. Jessica had to run after her.

As soon as Jessica was clear of the shop, the shop's sprinklers exploded and a wall of ice blocked the entrance, giving them a few minutes to load the car and get a head start to safety.

Just as they were pulling out of the car park, the ice wall shattered.

Out stormed the three Kindly Ones, Medusa with her head scarf, a hydra with five heads, and a dozen empousi and _dracaenae. _

"Bloody hell, Lou." Louisa had twisted in the shot gun seat and was watching out of the back window. One of the empousa pointed at the car.

"Go!" Louisa repeated, scrambling over the chair and opening the sun roof hatch. Her bow and quiver of arrows appeared in her hands and across her back. She notched an arrow with a small, silver cylinder with a deadly point at the end and aimed with incredible accuracy. It landed in the chest of the empousa who had pointed and exploded with the force of a bag of grenades.

Most of the empousi and _dracaenae _were killed, but the hydra, Medusa and the Kindly Ones still stood.

The Kindly Ones spread their leathery wings and took flight.

"Why are there so many?"

"I don't know!" Louisa fell back into the car and closed the sun roof. "Just drive!"


	26. A 2nd demigod in an unexpected place

"Uh, Lou, I know this isn't relevant, but there's a lot of frozen food in the trunk."

"It's on ice 'n' it's nice ta know you've got your priorities straight." Jessica smiled sheepishly. Louisa was restringing her bow as an enemy archer had shot it. The enemy arrow had skimmed past Louisa's upper arm, leaving a flesh wound. Blood was slowly soaking Louisa's sleeve, having neared her elbow already.

"I'm trying to keep as normal as possible, Lou."

"Isn't that nice? Ha, done." Louisa said proudly. She notched an arrow and fired out the passenger window at the empousa who had caught up. The empousa exploded, thankfully away from the open window, yellow monster dust splattering across the empousa's sisters.

Louisa closed the window.

"Uh, Lou?"

"Mmm?"

"Red light." Louisa looked round. She scowled and cursed in ancient Greek. "I don't want to know what that means, do I?"

"No, 'cos ya'd tell me ta wash my mouth out with soap or somethin'." Louisa grumbled. There was a dull thud followed by sharper more repetitive ones. An empousa had landed on the roof and was trying to punch her way in. "Look, they're after me- I'll go, you go home."

"What? No!" Louisa pointed an arrow at her foster mother.

"Frankly, ya don't have a choice. Besides, the frozen food stuff ain't gonna last forever on ice 'n' I don't want food poisonin' on top of a monster infest, OK?"

"You are not going out there alone."

"You gonna stop me?" Louisa challenged. Jessica tried to think how, but Louisa had already opened the passenger door.

"Lou!"

"See ya later, Jessica." Louisa shot the empousa on the roof before it ripped her head off, kicked the passenger door shut and sprinted off. Jessica stared after her in wonder.

The girl was senile. Absolutely bonkers. Mad. Off her trolley. Lost her marbles. Every statement that described insanity wasn't good enough. There needed to be more!

The light decided to turn green.

As Jessica drove, she formulated the starts of an idiotic plan.

Get home.

(Put shopping away- and quickly).

Try and find Louisa's secret stash of demigod weapons.

Jessica knew Louisa had some somewhere. Poseidon had warned her and she had found a knife in the toilet cistern, which had been kind of funny after the initial shock.

What Jessica hadn't planned on was Harvey.

Harvey was at her home.

And he had seemed to move in.

"Alright, Jess?" He asked with smile. "Where's Lou?"

"Um, well, she, uh…"

"Did she run off?" Jessica looked at him. His expression was concerned, but was that a glimmer of hope in his eyes?

"She had to. There're some things after her." Jessica kept her voice at monotone.

"Things? Like what?"

_Male… now I know why Lou finds him annoying._

"Dangerous things that can get her hurt! A lot! Or worse!"

"OK, OK, let me help." Jessica nearly had a heart attack. Harvey and Louisa were always arguing, but now Harvey was offering to help Louisa? It didn't make sense. "Look, she's a demigod, I know."

"How-?"

"I'm one too, just not as powerful." Jessica stared at him. "Mom's a minor goddess. Louisa's mom or dad, whoever they are, clearly isn't."

"You're a demigod." Jessica said.

"Yes."

"You. Demigod." Harvey nodded, smiling slightly. Now she had two demigods in her life? "Oh gods, I need to sit down." Harvey chuckled. Jessica sunk onto the nearest chair. _Two_ demigods? How had that happened? "When were you going to tell me?"

"First date?" Harvey smiled sheepishly. Jessica groaned.

"Lou was right. You are trouble." Harvey's smile faded in annoyance.

"Yeah, and Lou's in trouble. Where did you last see her?" Jessica didn't get to answer. The kitchen window opened of its own accord and a thick tendril of water snaked through, landing on her carpet. The water rose and formed the shape of a man.

A second later, Poseidon stood in her kitchen, grim faced.

"P-P…" Harvey stammered. He had seen Poseidon before, but hadn't recognised him. Now he did.

"Poseidon, yes. Jessica, Louisa's all over Hephaestus TV."

"Hephaestus TV?" Poseidon gave a wry smile.

"Yes." He held his hand out and an orb of water the size of a basketball formed hovering over his palm. The orb cleared and became as defined as the latest TV model.

Louisa was hiding behind a parked car, restringing her bow. She had a gash running from under her eye to her jawline, a three claw mark on her shoulder and her hair was coated with yellow monster dust.

"Lou…" Jessica pulled herself together. "Can't you do something?" She cried at the sea god. He frowned.

"We are not allowed to help directly with our children's affairs."

"What? That's stupid!"

"In some cases, I agree. But it is of ancient law." The orb melted as the view panned to show the army of oncoming monsters, led by the hydra. "But Harvey can help. He can see better through the Mist and has had a certain degree of training from his mother."

"Who is your mom?" Jessica asked, looking at her friend.

"Later." Harvey said, but he didn't sound promising.

"I can offer transport to get you quickly to my daughter. Other than that, I cannot be of much assistance."

"She's your _daughter_ though. There has to be something you can do!" Poseidon frowned in thought.

"Maybe if she was closer to the sea, I could help her more."

"OK, I'll try and get her closer to the sea. No biggie. How do I get there?"

"Pegasus of course." Poseidon smiled, reminding Jessica of the cheeky smile Louisa got seconds before Jessica triggered one of her pranks.

"Oh." Harvey said quietly.

"What can I do?" Poseidon looked at her, thinking furiously.

"Louisa may need a bag packed."

"Why?"

"I will explain later. Just get the bag packed please."

"For how long?"

"A few weeks." Before Jessica could protest, Poseidon turned and led Harvey out of the apartment.

A few weeks? _A few weeks?_ Was the sea god taking her foster daughter away?


	27. Oopsie

"What they hell are you doin' here?!" Louisa shouted over the car exploding.

"Oh gods, is that how you thank me?"

"_Thank _you? Why the hell would I do that?" Harvey raised his right hand, his fingertips aimed at the army of demons. "Oh, what are you- are you talkin' Greek?" Louisa's anger was quickly replaced by surprise. She wasn't sure what Harvey was saying in Greek, but his hand was encased in a writhing coat of thick red energy. Louisa stared at him in awe.

A bolt of scarlet lightning arced from Harvey's hand, up and forward in a perfect curve, reminding Louisa of a one-coloured rainbow. The end of the 'rainbow' vanished in the midst of the army and they all howled in pain, sinking to their knees and clutching their heads as if their brains were suddenly too big and heavy to fit inside their skulls.

Louisa watched the demons' struggles with a monotonous look.

"So, I am I still lame and pathetic?"

"Uh… a little less lame 'n' pathetic. How'd ya do that?"

"I'll explain later." His tone wasn't promising and Louisa remembered why she couldn't trust him.

"Why are ya helpin' me anyway?"

"Well, your father- I know who he is and no, I'm not bowing down to you- Poseidon can't help you directly and Jessica's a mortal."

"'N' you're a demigod." Harvey nodded. "For the love of…" Louisa trailed off.

"Don't worry; I'm not as powerful as you Olympian or Big Three kids."

"Minor god?"

"Minor _goddess_." Harvey corrected. Louisa waved her hands about, looking back at the demon army. Most of them were getting back on their feet. She notched a trio of arrows- it had taken a good two years to master this skill of multi-shooting. Few could do it.

The arrows flew with confidence and found their targets. One made friends with the eye of a hydra head while another found out how easy it was to be buried in the scaly skin of a _dracaenae_. The third had made contact with Medusa's knee **(arrow to the knee, sorry :D )**, crippling her again. Louisa was careful to avoid Medusa's eyes- and prayed that Medusa kept her headscarf on- snakes were horrible creatures.

Harvey grumbled, "That was effective."

"Wait for it, ya impatient git." He glared at her. "Demigod or no, I still don't like ya."

"Likewise." He mumbled. Louisa sank to the floor, pressing her back to the car. Harvey saw sense in sitting down too as Louisa pulled a wireless detonator from her pocket.

She pressed the red button and explosions of Greek fire erupted from her three arrows. The demons further back had the sense to scramble out of harm's way, but Medusa, the hydra and the unfortunate _dracaenae _and two of her friends were caught in the inferno.

Harvey watched, aghast. "You can't control Greek fire!"

"Oh, yeah. Silly me." Louisa didn't sound entirely bothered. Instead, she called down a hurricane that encased the Greek fire. The fire was whipped around furiously until it looked like the hurricane was made of the emerald flames.

"Now what, bright spark?"

"Bright spark…" Louisa mumbled. "Zeus, a little favour please?!" She shouted. Thunder rumbled. "I'll write an I.O.U later!" A storm twisted in at alarming rates and a bolt of lightning struck the centre of the hurricane. It sparked through the Greek fire, draining its energy.

Louisa dropped her arms, letting the swing from her exhaustion. "Hurricanes are tirin'." She mumbled. "Thank-you, Lord Zeus." She added in a louder voice. Thunder boomed again as the lightning retreated into the purple and black storm clouds.

The monsters that hadn't been vaporised returned.

"How come Zeus helped you?"

"I'm just that lovable." Harvey snorted. Louisa pointed an arrow at him. "This is Greek fire. I'd watch what ya say 'n' do unless ya wanna become Medusa's best buddy in the Underworld." She set the arrow back in the quiver and drew another one. "Oh, 'n' I thought you were here ta help."

"I am. The Pegasus flew off in terror though."

"Ya leave him alone. He was only a little bubba 'n' he ain't used ta seein' the ugly mugs of monsters." Louisa shot him a side long glance, firing her arrow. "Or yours." Harvey scowled. "See, that's what I mean." Louisa's arrow exploded with a high pitched wail. The monsters within a five metres radius melted into yellow dust, while the others grabbed their heads in pain. "Your turn."

Harvey sighed and muttered another spell, holding his hands up as if to catch a ball. A sphere of crackling, white energy sparked to life between his palms. He threw it as far as he could, pleased that it collided with an empousa's chest.

"Die!" The empousa wailed, black energy crackling along her arm and over her hand. The white orb engulfed her and her fellow, remaining demons, but not before the black energy was released.

Aimed straight at Louisa.

"Lou, run!" Harvey pushed her away. Louisa stumbled but managed to break into a full force sprint. Harvey summoned pure, white energy again and made a massive, defensive wall.

It didn't work.

The dark energy dived from over the wall and hurtled through the air. "No!" Harvey shouted, sending orbs of white energy at the black power. The darkness merely dodged around it and picked up speed.

Louisa made the mistake of looking back. The dark power slammed into her, covering her eyes like sticky black goo. Louisa cried out, her bow clattering to the floor. She tried to pull the magic blindfold from her eyes, but it didn't work, the goo trailing over her hands and staining her clothes, drawing blood in long, thin, deep gashes.

Louisa struggling made it worse.

Harvey ran towards her. "Lou, stop struggling!" She couldn't hear him, coughing and spluttering as the dark energy wriggled into her mouth and down her throat. If the dark energy got into her powerful demigod blood and spirit, it would kill her from the inside- painfully. Very painfully.

**Made this up on the spot. Hope you don't mind :P **


	28. Eyes

_Losing my sight, losing my mind, wish somebody would tell me I'm fine…_

**Who knows the song? It's on telly at the moment and I wanted to see who knew it. WITHOUT GOOGLE!**

Louisa fell to her knees, struggling to breathe. Everything was going black and she couldn't hear anything. All she felt was a sticky coldness and her lungs were screaming at her.

Harvey tried all the spells he could think of, but nothing was working.

Blood was starting to pool under Louisa, escaping from the many and multiplying gashes all over her.

OK, Louisa wasn't the easiest kid to live with, but Harvey tolerated her as best as he could for Jessica. Although they had never gotten along and he doubted that they ever will, he wouldn't wish death upon her.

The sound of flapping wings and angry neighs had Harvey look up from the struggling and blood covered demigod lying in front of him.

A flock of pegasi- nearly two dozen of them- had dived and completely unleashed the fury of Poseidon on the remaining demons.

One Pegasus broke free of its brethren and flew gracefully over to Harvey and Louisa.

It was a stormy grey colour, as if it had been painted with storm clouds. Its green eyes sparked with electricity and Harvey found himself backing away.

The Pegasus bowed its head, nudging Louisa's hand. Miraculously, Louisa found the strength to respond, tangling her fingers in the Pegasus's jet black mane.

The winged horse looked pointedly at Harvey. He scrambled to his feet, knowing what to do. The Pegasus lay down so it was easier to sit Louisa on its back. The Pegasus whickered and Harvey realised he was supposed to go too.

The last Pegasus he had recently been on wasn't a very confident flyer. This one seemed different, mature and stern.

Flying on this Pegasus was a lot better than the last one. The journey was smoother and more graceful. Harvey didn't feel like he was going to fall off. He kept an eye on Louisa as they flew; noticing she had slipped into unconsciousness and her pulse was weak.

"Can you hurry up?" He asked the Pegasus. It whickered in annoyance at him, throwing its head back. Harvey steadied Louisa. "I don't know what you're saying." The Pegasus beat its wings stronger and they picked up speed. Harvey noticed the sea first as they turned around the corner. This Pegasus wasn't as stupid as he had first thought.

The Pegasus landed on the beach, rustling its wings and trying to dislodge Harvey. With slight annoyance, Harvey dismounted. The Pegasus took off immediately; Louisa slumped against its neck. Harvey watched them go, making a shield against the sun for his eyes with his hands.

The Pegasus stopped about five feet above the waves. It tipped Louisa off its back and circled back to Harvey.

Harvey watched as the calm sea suddenly become angry. The Pegasus nudged him away as the waves slammed onto the beach. "What's happening to Louisa?" The Pegasus whinnied. Harvey sighed. It was pointless- he would never understand horses.

A long ten minutes passed. The sea suddenly fell calm and still as if it had never had a temper tantrum. Louisa suddenly broke the surface, splashing and struggling to stay afloat. The Pegasus took off in an instant and circled lower around Louisa. Louisa was reaching out to her winged friend when something pulled her under.

Harvey contemplated diving in after her, but he wasn't sure how deep Louisa had been dragged under and he knew she could withstand the pressure of the sea better than any mortal.

Louisa broke the surface again and instantly linked her arms around the Pegasus's neck. The Pegasus shot up instantly and Louisa twisted around to sit on the winged creature's back.

When the Pegasus landed, Harvey was relieved to see Louisa was OK.

But on second glance… something was up with her eyes…

Louisa slipped from the Pegasus and lay down on the sand. "Are you OK?" Harvey asked her. Louisa nodded. The Pegasus settled down next to her, resting its head on Louisa's stomach. Harvey sat down too.

Louisa's eyes were blank and staring up at the sky.

But that wasn't what bothered Harvey.

Instead of the usual, cheeky troublemaker emerald green, Louisa's eyes were as jet black as the night sky…


	29. Louisa VS Roxy

"Lou! Yo, Lou-Lou!" Mikey caught up with his friend, putting his hand on her shoulder. He noticed she had headphones in and obviously hadn't heard him. _Hollywood Undead, no doubt_, he mentally sighed with a small smile.

Louisa's green eyes studied him. Bizarrely, an unnerved chill trickled down Mikey's spine, but he ignored it. "Lou. Headphones. Out." Mikey mimed the required actions which Louisa followed with a roll of her eyes. "Saw that, madam." Mikey punched her shoulder lightly and playfully. "Where were you yesterday?"

"Yesterday?"

"Yeah, yesterday." Louisa frowned slightly. It was Mikey's turn to roll his eyes. "You were supposed to come round mine for the day, remember?" Louisa shrugged. Mikey's expression suddenly ringed with concern. "Has something happened?" Louisa looked around for eavesdroppers before answering in a low tone.

"Me 'n' Jessica went shoppin'. Loads of monsters." She told him everything that had happened that she could remember. Mikey's jaw dropped when she told him Harvey was a demigod. "My thoughts exactly." Louisa grumbled. Mikey grabbed her shoulders and shook her, as if trying to glean extra information. Louisa removed his hands and gave him a playful shove. "Everythin' after that's fuzzy."

"Ah, no! The story can't end like that! It's got to have a happy ending or something!" Louisa rolled her eyes again. "There has to be something else you remember, surely?"

"Uh… just a Pegasus droppin' me in the sea."

"Home turf, right?" Louisa nodded in agreement. "Do you know who Harvey's godly parent is?"

"A minor goddess. That's all I know." Mikey nodded, but looked lost in thought, which was never good with Mikey. You couldn't tell if he was planning a homework schedule or plotting to bomb the school.

"I know who your dad is."

"Here we go…" Louisa sighed, attempting to unlock the bloody thing she called a locker. Mikey reached forward and unlocked her locker for her. "Dude, my code. Get lost." He grinned cheekily at her.

"Your dad's Poseidon."

"Give the boy a prize." Louisa muttered.

"Do I hear sarcasm in that?"

"That's my natural tone." Louisa countered, sifting through the crap called school work. Mikey sighed.

"Maths, Art, English and Science." Louisa cursed. "Yeah, not your favourite day."

"I don't have a favourite day."

"Saturday?"

"Meh." Louisa replied, slamming her locker shut.

"That's why it's broken."

"Shut it, Johnson." Mikey scowled at her.

"I'm not Johnson."

"Still don't like ya dad?" Mikey shook his head. "Don't blame ya."

"My hobos!" Mikey and Louisa simultaneously groaned as Dylan wrapped an arm around each of them. "How're we doing this fine day?"

"Better. I take it ya remembered what a toothbrush is this mornin'?" Dylan's smile dropped.

"Funny." He freed Mikey and got Louisa in an underarm headlock. "Say it." He challenged. Louisa sighed.

"Unless ya gonna make me…"

"I'm gonna try, does that count?"

"Nope." Louisa tucked her foot behind his and sent them both flying backwards. Louisa's demigod reflexes had her do a backward roll so that she sat on the floor while Dylan lay on the floor, groaning and complaining at her. "Mike, what's the score?"

"Six to you, one to him."

"This week?"

"This fortnight." Mikey corrected.

"Refresh it." Dylan groaned, rolling onto his front.

"One to Lou, none to Dylan." Mikey announced, smiling.

"Lou, you're gonna kill me one of these days." Louisa stood up, two inches shorter than Dylan. He was the second tallest in the group. Louisa, obviously, was the shortest. But she could still kick ass.

"Don't mess with shit ya can't take on." Louisa simply said.

"I second that." Connor said, appearing out of nowhere and putting his arm around Mikey, his adopted little brother. Connor was the tallest, standing an inch above Dylan and almost two inches above Mikey. That meant he stood nearing four inches taller than Louisa. But he knew better than to mess with her.

"Hey, you know me." Dylan spread his hands, his smile cocky. "I like a challenge."

"Mm…" Connor hummed, watching Dylan carefully. "Have you taken your meds this morning, bro?" He asked seriously.

"Ha, funny." Dylan charged Connor. Mikey and Louisa left them to play fight.

Mikey noticed Louisa's smile faltered. She was good at fake-smiling.

"You OK?" He asked, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah. Headache."

"One cure for that." Mikey grinned. He pointed at their two friends, Dylan chasing Connor and using his rucksack as a weapon. "Kick their butts." Louisa gave a laugh, but there was very little emotion in it. "Are you sure you're OK?"

"I'm fine. Honest."

"It's hard to believe you when you're not looking me in the eye and saying that." Louisa rolled her head in his direction, her eyes and expression unimpressed. "Right, point taken." Mikey put an arm around her. "Cheer up, Lou." She forced a smile, but it fell in seconds. Mikey understood Louisa better than the other two, even though he had known her for less time. "Not worrying about those monsters, are you?"

"Monsters? Ha!" Louisa clenched her fists. Of course Roxy would be hovering around. "Hey, everyone! Fearless Louisa is scared of monsters!" Roxy sneered at Louisa who had half-turned to look at her. Louisa's eyes were unreadable except for one thing- certain and painful death.

Or utter humiliation for Roxy…

Or something demigod-ish…

Louisa turned properly and tucked her hands in her pockets.

"Roxy, long time no see. Not that I'm complain' cos ya ugly mug is enough ta scare those monsters away." Roxy scowled at her.

"At least I know monsters aren't real, you little baby." There was a cold laugh from Roxy's spiteful girl clique. "Do ickle Louisa want a bwottle?" Louisa mimicked Roxy's patronizing tone.

"Does Roxy want ta shut up before I smash her face in?"

An 'ooh' and several jeers went up from the watching crowd of students. Roxy looked around at them, her mouth opening and closing like a goldfish as she racked her miniscule brain for a comeback.

"Oh, I'd like to see you try, _emo_." Roxy spat the last word, flicking her blonde hair over her shoulder as if she had won.

"Emo? That's a new one." Louisa contemplated the new name call, before shrugging. "Whatever, blondie."

Roxy stepped forward. Someone started a chant of 'fight, fight, fight!'

Roxy was all set for a fight. Louisa met the challenge with a bored expression, her hands casually in her pocket.

The chanting grew louder. Louisa noticed that Roxy loved all the attention. Louisa hated it, but she didn't want Roxy seeing that.

Louisa took in her surroundings. On her right were a line of lockers. On her left, a staircase. Straight ahead, a floor to ceiling, wall to wall set of windows.

Perfect.

Roxy made a grab for Louisa, but her fingers passed through thin air. Louisa wasn't there, but was standing behind Roxy, waiting for Roxy to advance. No-one was sure how Louisa had moved that fast, but the chants picked up again as Roxy pounced.

Louisa twisted to the right and took three steps back. She kept her hands in her pockets.

Roxy glowered at her.

"I can keep this up all day, girly." Louisa said clearly.

"Funny, so can I." Roxy lunged. Her fake nails raked across Louisa's cheek drawing blood in a four claw mark. Roxy gave a laugh of triumph.

Louisa looked up and Roxy nearly screamed.

Before Louisa drew back her fist and slammed into Roxy's solar plexus, Roxy had seen a frightening difference in Louisa's eyes.

They had changed colour.

To raven black…


	30. Louisa's not home, foolish child

There was something that stopped Mikey, Dylan and Connor from running forward and pulling their friend away as she ruthlessly beat the living daylights out of her rival.

While Roxy was doubled over, winded, Louisa kneed her in the face, making Roxy stagger back. Louisa moved forward in one swift movement and roundhouse kicked Roxy in the chest. Roxy fell back, her back slamming into the rails of the stairs. She managed to duck a swing from Louisa and tried to get around her, but Louisa grabbed her by the wrist and bent Roxy's arm backwards. Roxy cried out in pain, feeling as if her arm was about to break.

Louisa gave Roxy an almighty shove and Roxy tumbled to the floor, landing heavily. She didn't even get the chance to recover before she was dragged to her feet by her throat.

Louisa's new eye colour showed no mercy, only certain and unbearable pain.

"Lou, that's enough!" Connor shouted, finding his voice. His words fell on deaf ears. Louisa was like a girl possessed, finding the almost inhuman strength to lift Roxy clear from the floor and slam the bully's back against the stone wall. "Lou!" Connor shouted again. He and Dylan ran forward and wrestled Louisa back. Roxy fell to the floor, gasping for air while tears of pain streamed down her cheeks.

Louisa struggled against them, their protests and attempts at persuasion ignored completely.

It was Mikey to the rescue, retrieving a full water bottle from his back, running forward and tipping the contents over Louisa's head.

Louisa stopped struggling immediately, sinking to her knees.

"Let her go." Mikey said, kneeling in front of Louisa. Dylan and Connor hesitated, but they noticed a steely glare of stubbornness and determination in their usually gentle friend's eyes. They released Louisa.

Thankfully, Louisa didn't attack Roxy. Instead she placed her hands on the floor, her fingers curling in the minor puddle of water, droplets falling from her hair. "Lou?" Mikey spoke gently, placing his hands on her shoulders and helping Louisa sit up.

Louisa's eyes were confused and mildly scared, but they were their normal colour. "What's going on?"

"I-I-I d-don't… I don't know…"

"Physco!" Someone shouted.

"Mental bitch!" Another accused. Louisa angered instantly.

"Ignore them."

But it was the third comment that really got under Louisa's skin:

"Crazed, unwanted bitch!"

That was from one of Roxy's friends. Louisa didn't know her name, but she really didn't care.

"Unwanted? _Unwanted_?"

"Lou, come on-" Mikey and Dylan helped Louisa to her feet, but they failed to hold her back.

Roxy's friend sneered as it took all three boys to hold Louisa back.

"Yeah, _unwanted_. No wonder why you got put in an orphanage. You're such a freak. If I was your mom- heaven help me- I'd have given you up to." Louisa clenched her fists, her fingers digging into her palm.

"Lou, ignore her. Come on." Dylan tried to pull Louisa away, but all three boys were zapped with strange bursts of sea green energy. They all fell back, wincing in pain.

The jeers and name calls vanished as a tense silence settled over the students. Whispers sprung up, something about Louisa's eyes…

The windows were smashed open in one, overly strong gust of wind. Girls screamed and the students scrambled away from the broken glass. Rain hammered down through the new gaps, starting to flood the hall. Lightning cracked and thunder deafened them all. The wind whipped around the corridor, slashing at their skin, sharp and cold like the blade of a knife.

Students were screaming, running for cover in the classrooms. As soon as the doors were open a fraction, the sounds of many windows smashing could be heard from the inside of the classrooms. Wind slammed the doors shut again, most with enough force to send students sprawling.

Dylan, Connor and Mikey fought and struggled against the disastrous weather to reach their friend. Louisa had resided to the top of the staircase, her hands clenched tightly around the banister as if she were to let go, something terrible would happen.

For those who had thought they had escaped the torrential downpour at one end of the hall, the sprinklers exploded into action with so much power, they broke and jets of water plummeted down onto unexpected students. More screams scratched the air and students started to push and shove each other, desperate to get away from the hellish weather.

Dylan reached Louisa first, wrapping her in his arms. She struggled against him and they nearly toppled down the stairs. They would have had it not been for Connor and Mikey pulling them back.

"Lou, cut it out!" Connor demanded, holding her head in his hands to make her look at him. He didn't back away at the midnight black glare that he found even though all he wanted to do was get as far from those terrifying eyes as possible. The black was ice cold, like the Arctic Ocean; they so dark they seemed bottomless.

"Louisa's not home, foolish child." Louisa snarled. It wasn't just her voice sounding. Combined with Louisa's voice, a cold, harsh and raspy voice sneered at them. The voice sent tremors of fear and icy coldness through their veins.

Mikey did the one thing he could think of.

He slapped Louisa.


	31. Flooding the school and more

Teachers were running up the stairs. The door to the second floor in the school was slammed off its hinges by a tide of water. Many students tumbled out, spluttering, choking and all drenched to the skin. Water thundered down the stairs, creating a charging waterfall.

The teachers were struck dumb, shocked and slightly scared. Who had flooded the second floor Math department?

Dylan spat out water in a shoot. Mikey just spat the water out while Connor wrestled with the dark eyed Louisa. Louisa was disturbingly dry. Dylan thought it was a demigod thing.

He and Mikey jumped up and helped to pin Louisa to the ground. It took all three of them to hold her down, but she had already used up most of her water supply.

That's when Mikey cried out in pain, on his feet and staggering away.

"Dylan!" Connor warned. Mikey was close to falling out the smashed windows. Dylan jumped up and darted forward, grabbing Mikey by the wrists as he nearly lost his footing on the edge.

"I got ya, mate. C'mon." Dylan helped Mikey away from the window. "Are you OK? What happened?" Mikey looked him in the eye and suddenly collapsed. Dylan caught his friend. What had bought this on?

"Dylan!" Connor cried again. Dylan sat Mikey against the wall before hurrying back to his other friend. Louisa was on her knees and Connor was struggling to keep her from running after the students. "What happened to Mikey?"

"I dunno… shock maybe? I dunno…" With Dylan's help, Connor was able to restrain Louisa. "What's going on with Lou?"

"Not a clue." Connor grumbled through gritted teeth.

The water two metres from them started to stir. Dylan noticed first and muttered a warning. The water twisted up in a column. Louisa's possessed form struggled harder, as if trying to get away from the charmed water.

The water dissipated. Standing where it had been was a man they had only seen once.

He was Louisa's dad.

"I see you've gotten yourself in another set of trouble, Lou." He knelt in front of Louisa, holding her head in his hands and making her look at him. He cursed in Ancient Greek when he saw her raven eyes.

"Um… sir, what's going on with Lou?"

"I will explain later. I have to take her to my kingdom." He gently pressed his fingertips to Louisa's forehead and she passed out.

"What about Mikey?" Dylan asked. Louisa's father looked round and saw the unconscious form of the mortal boy.

"Ah, he will be fine in a few minutes, I assure you."

"What happened to him?"

"He slapped Louisa, didn't he?" The two nodded. "That was her reacting through this."

"She can do that?"

"Louisa can do a lot when she puts her mind to it." The man stood, Louisa in his arms. "I will see you all at some point in the week. Good day." Water rose from the floor, spiralling around the man and Louisa. Then they were gone.

"Lou just turned into water."

"Is that all you can think about?" Connor scolded. Dylan shrugged, smiling sheepishly. "What are we gonna tell the teachers?"

"Um… I don't know. Reckon we should run for it?"

"Can you carry Mikey?"

"Piece of cake." Dylan said. Connor nodded and quickly helped Dylan shift Mikey onto Dylan's back. "Speaking of cake, I want some."

"Later. Come on." And they quickly and carefully hurried away.

The teachers slipped and slid along the floor, but all students were gone. What on earth had happened?

* * *

"What are you doing here? Where's Lou?" Jessica ushered Louisa's friends into her apartment. Mikey was half-awake and was being supported between his two friends.

"It's a long story, Jessica."

"Right. What happened to Mikey?"

"He passed out." Connor and Dylan carried Mikey over to the sofa and lay him down. Mikey smiled gratefully at them and closed his eyes. "He's a marvel." Connor mumbled.

"Explain. Now." Jessica demanded. Connor and Dylan launched into their explanation of what had happened.

"And then they disappeared." Jessica remained in a stunned silence. "I know he was Lou's dad, but who is he?" Jessica hesitated.

"He's a Big Three god and he took a vow not to have children shortly after World War Two. This was a serious vow, one sworn on the River Styx."

"The River what?"

"The River Styx. It's important. Vows made on the River Styx are important and by breaking his vow, P- Lou's dad," Jessica caught herself, "Well, Lou's going to have a difficult life as a demigod."

"Why can't they have kids then?"

"Um… World War Two was mainly a war between children of the Big Three. When that was over, they swore not to have anymore as their children were powerful and bought a lot of trouble for everyone."

"You nearly said Lou's dad's name a second ago." Connor said, frowning in thought. "Who are the Big Three gods?" Jessica hesitated again. "Why is it so hard to tell us?"

"Louisa attracts a lot of monster attention, as you saw a little while ago." The boys nodded in agreement. "The more she knows, the more trouble she's in. She thinks that the same principal applies to you guys. She thinks that monsters will go after you to get to her and she doesn't want you guys hurt or… worse…"

"Yeah, but it's not like we're going to go around school with a whole song and dance-"

"Fireworks, banners and acrobats." Dylan added. Connor glared at him.

"Not going to go around school shouting the odds about Lou being a child of some Greek god."

"I know you won't." Jessica wrung her hands again. "OK, OK. Lou was right in letting you guys figure it out, but she didn't say you couldn't have clues. Look in her room." The boys looked at each other. They were getting at that age of starting to like girls. And now they were going into a girl's room? Sweet.

Louisa's room was not a tidy, pink and girly room like they had imagined all girls' rooms to be. Instead the walls were red and white with drawings, basketball teams, Hunger Games and military posters stuck up around the room. There was a Twilight one, but a bronze knife was embedded in Edward's head. **(Tee hee)**.

The bed was unmade, the duvet red on one side and black on the other with a matching pillow and a red bed sheet. On the bedside table were two action figures.

While Dylan sifted through the stuff on the carpet- a basketball, sketch books, reading books that didn't appear to be in English, various violent films and lots of other stuff- Connor studied the two figures.

They were Mythomagic action figures- he only knew because his younger brother loved them.

He recognised the figure in his left hand- Athena, goddess of wisdom. The other one… his brother didn't have. Connor did a mental check list, running through all the figures lined up on the shelf in the room he shared with his brother.

Connor noticed the trident in the other figure's hand.

"Trident…" He mulled quietly.

"Huh?"

"Trident." Connor repeated. "See if Jessica will let you use the computer." Dylan nodded and left.

Five minutes later, Dylan and Connor were scouring the web. They had typed in 'trident', but hadn't found a lot. They then tried 'Greek god with trident'.

They had found what they were looking for.

"It's Poseidon, isn't it?" Connor asked Jessica. She was helping Mikey eat vanilla ice-cream, but she looked round.

"Yes." She replied quietly.

"I still don't understand why you wouldn't just tell us."

"Louisa's a demigod with godly help. Maybe, for once, she knows what she's on about."


	32. LOUISA HAS FACEBOOK!

**Louisa now has Facebook! **

_Yeah, I do. Got eight friends 'n' one of 'em I know. Ain't none of 'em demigods though. _

**Lou, shut up.**

_Make me. _

**Anyway, Lou has Facebook. Anybody who wants to add her as a friend, PM and you'll get a friend request from Louisa Smith-Jackson ASAP.**

_I thought demigods weren't supposed ta use tech shit?_

**Lou, shut up!**

_But I don't wanna._

**We've all got do stuff we don't want to. **

_But-_

**Going now! Don't forget to PM if you're interested in having the demigod... who's kinda giving me... evils... If you need me, I'm gonna be hiding. Ciao! **


	33. The world's most lovable shark

"My lord, is this really necessary?" Amphitrite stood by Poseidon's side. They were in the infirmary, Poseidon's demigod daughter lying on the bed, tossing and turning every few seconds. Louisa's expression was set in a grimace. Poseidon had not left her side since he had appeared in the throne room with his unconscious daughter in his arms.

"My presence is helping her spirit to recognise who she is."

"Will it rid her of… whatever it is she is fighting?"

"Louisa has a strong spirit. I do not see her losing this battle." Amphitrite nodded, conjuring up a chair and sitting next to her mortal-sized husband.

"What is she fighting?" Poseidon sighed, his shoulder slouching. Amphitrite put a hand on his arm. "You do not need to tell me if it is difficult for you." She said kindly.

"No, it is alright, my dear. It is not an easy thing to talk about, is all." Amphitrite waited patiently as her immortal husband gathered his thoughts.

Louisa started mumbling. Poseidon was suddenly alert, all attempts to inform his wife about the problem Louisa battled gone from his mind.

Amphitrite paid attention too. Louisa was mumbling in a mix of Greek and Latin, which confused Amphitrite further. No demigod had shown a natural ability in both languages. Could Louisa know about the Roman demigods? Had she met them?

Amphitrite noticed the sea god's form was flickering. One second he would be his Greek form, the next his Roman- a tougher, stronger variation, with close cropped hair and stern sea green eyes, dressed in a toga trimmed with a deep blue. If she focused long enough, she could see a _gladius_ in its holster and attached to his leather belt.

Louisa's eyes shot open and she stared at the ceiling.

Poseidon/Neptune stopped flickering, remaining in his Greek form.

"What did she say?" Amphitrite asked quietly.

"I will explain later." Poseidon breathed. Amphitrite nodded, checking Louisa's eyes. Poseidon had explained what had occurred at the school and of the change in Louisa's eyes and behaviour.

Louisa's eyes were confused and mildly scared.

But they were green.

Poseidon was instantly relieved. "Louisa?" She turned her head and looked at him, her eyes gathering a guarded look. "How do you feel?" She tried to speak, but her voice appeared to be missing. She put a hand at her throat, frowning in annoyance. "Amphitrite, my dear, could you send a message to Apollo? We may need his medical knowledge and intuition."

"Yes, my lord." Amphitrite gave a curtsey and swam out of the room. Louisa's eyes followed her stepmother, checking she was out of earshot and not peeking around the door frame before looking at her father, her eyes quizzical.

"Do you not remember what happened?" She shrugged.

Louisa held her hand out, her eyes silently asking for help. Poseidon helped her sit up before recounting what had happened at her school. He mentioned a fight with Roxy, which Louisa gave a content nod to, although the confused gleam in her eyes told him that she didn't remember all of it.

Poseidon finished talking. He watched Louisa for a few seconds. "You have some very brave friends, Louisa." Her lips moved. "I know Mikey hit you, but you still got even." She mouthed a single word- 'How?' Poseidon bit his lip before answering. "A knee jerk reaction, I suppose. Your subconscious must have recognised him as you sent a jolt of sea energy into him. It was enough to push him into unconsciousness." Louisa instantly looked stricken. "He is fine, I promise you. I believe Jessica is feeding him ice-cream." Louisa's expression softened into a humoured smile.

"Apollo is in the building!" Louisa placed her pillow over her face. "Oy, I saw that. You are a cheeky moo." Apollo swam over, grinning brightly and followed by Amphitrite. Poseidon stood as his immortal wife approached. She smiled at him gratefully.

Apollo sat next to Louisa on her bed, prodding her in the cheek, the side and then her stomach. Louisa glared at him, irritated. Apollo held his hands up. "Don't give me that look, sweetheart. I'm trying to help."

"She doesn't like being tickled." Poseidon smiled.

"Mm… might have to fix that too." Apollo beamed at Louisa. She rolled her eyes. Apollo bravely and gently poked her throat.

"What-? Hey, ma voice's back."

"Thank you Lord Apollo."

"Thank you Lord Apollo." Louisa mimicked with a cruel, higher pitched imitation of the sun god.

"Louisa…" Poseidon warned. Louisa grumbled, but Apollo merrily laughed it off, clapping Louisa on the shoulder.

"She's alright, Uncle. A good sense of humour never hurt anyone." Apollo looked back at Louisa. "Right, let's see what else needs fixing." He pressed his fingertips to her forehead and closed his eyes in concentration.

A golden, sunshiny glow surrounded Louisa and she visibly brightened.

Apollo dropped his hand and opened his eyes. "All done… kinda…"

"Kinda?" Louisa asked, her good mood dissipating fast.

"Apollo, Amphitrite, a word please- _outside_." Poseidon stressed the last word. "Louisa, stay here. We will only be a few minutes." Louisa pulled a face and collapsed against the pillows. Poseidon chuckled. "I am sure there is a shark floating around, eager to meet you."

"Oh, I like sharks." Louisa propped herself up on her elbows. "Where is he? Or where is she?" She added. Poseidon simply turned and pointed at a pane-less window. A white shark swam in, as if it had been hovering there and waiting for its cue. The shark moved casually up to Louisa, after making a very shark-ish bow to Poseidon. The shark settled at her bedside, like a faithful puppy. "Does he or she have a name?" The shark nudged her hand gently.

"His name is Bob." Louisa looked up at her father, an amused and questioning look spreading over her features. "That is what he wished to be called. I was simply answering your question." Louisa nodded slowly, absent-mindedly petting the shark.

"Do ya reckon Jessica will let me take him home?"

"No, don't think so." And the three godly figures left Louisa alone with the world's most lovable shark.


	34. Food DRABBLE WARNING SORRY!

Bob the cuddly shark soon took his leave, saying that he was hungry.

Well, that's what he told Louisa in her thoughts.

That was something to put on her school records- ADHD, dyslexic, hotdog lover and shark whisperer.

"Louisa?"

"Mm-hm?" Louisa looked up. Amphitrite was half-walking, half-swimming towards her. "What's up?" Louisa asked her casually. The goddess frowned slightly at Louisa's informality, but Louisa really didn't care.

"Your father says I must sit with you while he and Apollo attend a council meeting."

"What's the meetin' about?" Amphitrite's expression darkened slightly.

"Those matters I cannot discuss with you, child."

"OK," Louisa kicked the blanket back, noticing she was wearing soccer shorts. "I'll find out later." Her stepmother looked less than pleased. Louisa paid no attention to this fact. "How long ya been with Dad?" Amphitrite pursed her lips in annoyance at Louisa saying 'Dad', but she did answer.

"A few thousand years."

"Does he ever get annoyin'?"

"He can be, yes. Especially annoying when he grants a hoard of sharks or an octopus entry to my walk-in wardrobe."

"Ya have a walk-in wardrobe?"

"Yes." Amphitrite frowned slightly. "Why?"

"Nothin'. I just never thought of a goddess havin' a walk-in wardrobe."

"Aphrodite does."

"Yeah, but she's goddess of beauty 'n' love 'n' stuff like that."

"I suppose you have a point there." Amphitrite admitted.

"Thanks." Louisa nudged the bundled blanket with her foot. "I take it ya ain't got any hotdogs down here?"

"No, but we can offer various other foods."

"Like what?" Louisa asked carefully.

"How about I take you to the kitchen and show you?"

"But Dad said I've gotta stay here, didn't he?"

"Well, yes, I believe so, but council meetings often take hours, so a little trip to stretch your legs won't be a hassle." Louisa nodded in agreement and slipped from the bed. She took one step forward and ended up swimming alongside her stepmother.

Poseidon's palace was amazing. It was all decked in a dark bluish glow, but green fire burned in brackets on the wall, illuminating tapestries along the walls, all displaying various legends from Greek mythology, mainly centred on Poseidon and his kingdom.

Mermen and mermaids swum up and down the corridor, many carrying tridents, swords and weighted nets and a further few with plates of food or crates. They chatted animatedly to each other. Louisa caught snatches of mixed conversations, but didn't pay any attention.

Amphitrite turned left and stopped at a large, arched door made of what looked like some sea plant, but was as hard as fresh wood. Amphitrite pushed open the door.

The kitchen was huge. Somehow, food was prepared and cooked on a number of stoves and counters pressed together in an island in the centre. Around the edges were shelves with jarred spices and sea plants. And the weir thing of _refrigerators _and _freezers _at regular intervals. How electricity worked under water, Louisa wasn't sure. But it was so cool!

Mermen and mermaids darted back and forth from food supplies to counters and stoves, dressed in aprons and chef hats. All of them had simple daggers in their belts.

"Oh wow…" Louisa looked around stunned.

A mermaid noticed her and dropped the platter she was carrying in shock. Louisa stared back at her. Then the mermaid pointed at her and started talking excitedly over her shoulder at her fellow cooks. Louisa had no idea what she was saying- it was mer-talk.

Pandemonium and excitement broke out. Louisa was being watched and pointed at from every direction.

Amphitrite gave a soft laugh.

"It has been a while since a demigod child of Poseidon has visited them. And you are very unique, even for a demigod."

"Unique? Can't we go with, er… sophisticated?"

"Sophisticated?"

"Actually, no. Strange. Strange makes more sense 'n' connection ta me than sophisticated ever will." Amphitrite smiled. Louisa returned it lopsidedly.

Amphitrite raised her hands and silence fell. Many mer-people were whispering excitedly.

"Tell them what you want." She said kindly.

"What I want?" Amphitrite nodded. "I want a load of things, most of which ain't food. But uh," Louisa looked at the mer-people. "Hi." She said. A chorus of 'hellos' went up and Louisa was relieved the mer-people could talk English as well. "Um, nice kitchen." Many thanks were offered. "This is awkward." Louisa said out of the side of her mouth. "I don't know these, uh, people. I can't just order them about."

"They are loyal to your father and I. They will show loyalty to you if you prove yourself worthy enough."

"Right." Louisa cracked her knuckles, picking up her nervous habit again. Amphitrite noticed and took pity on her.

"Louisa would like some lunch please."

"Anything in particular, my lady?" The merman that had spoken was looking at Louisa. She realised he had called her 'my lady'.

"Uh, first of all, ya don't have to do the 'my lady' crap 'cos, obviously, I ain't posh like that." A great number of laughs went up. "'N', uh, any hotdogs lyin' around?"

A short while later, Louisa was walking around the kitchen, hotdog in one hand and a Coke in the other, examining the goings-on of the mer-people in the kitchen of Poseidon's palace.

It was as if everyone had turned into her.

Jessica had quickly learnt not to let Louisa anywhere near the kitchen unless the demigod was making cakes. Louisa had the dangerous and annoying habit of juggling knives and burning things.

But a kitchen full of Chef Louisa's? Louisa grinned at the thought.

She wasn't sure whether to trust her stepmother or not. She had heard about evil stepmothers. And there were a lot of knives in this kitchen- Amphitrite could easily grab one and get rid of the only daughter of Poseidon for a long time.

Then again, Louisa was a ninja. Knives- especially throwing knives- were her friend.

"My lady, what do you think of this?" A mermaid with bright purple hair held a ceramic bowl of what looked like chicken soup and a spoon out to her.

"Call me Lou." Louisa told her, taking the spoon.

OK, chicken soup had never tasted so damn good.

Louisa grinned. "Mind if I keep this?" She asked. The mermaid looked pleased. "'N' can ya send Jessica that recipe please? She gets lumps in her soup that I really don't wanna know about." The mermaid's smile broadened.

"Yes my l- uh, Lou." Louisa grinned. The mermaid bowed.

"Ya don't have ta do that either. Makes me feel like I should be, uh, wearin' some fancy ball gown thing, like Amphitrite's got."

"That's a chiton, Lou."

"Yeah, one of those." The mermaid smiled again before returning to her pot of soup.

Louisa quickly finished off the soup, but more mer-people were holding food out to her. There was bread, cakes, biscuits, various dishes. It all looked and tasted so amazing, but Louisa was eventually full and had to reluctantly decline further food and leave. But she promised to visit again as soon as she could, which seemed to gain many smiles and favours.

"Are you alright?" Amphitrite smiled.

"Fine, fine. Really full though."

"I'm amazed."

"At what?"

"I was thinking where you put all that food, but then you started to say 'no'."

"I would've eaten more, but I couldn't test-taste everythin' a hundred or whatever mer-people gave me." Amphitrite nodded, smiling. "Where are we goin'?"

"Just for a walk. You might need to work that food off."

"Not callin' me fat, are ya?"

"No."

"Just greedy?"

"No."

"Hungry?"

"Yes."

"Can we go with grundy?"

"Grundy?"

"Yeah. It's a mix of hungry 'n' greedy."

"Very well. You were grundy."

"Ya ain't so bad." Amphitrite looked at her quizzically. "Jessica reads stories ta me sometimes 'n' there are usually some evil stepmoms sittin' in the corner, wringin' her hands 'n' plottin' plans that never work."

"And you think I'm one of these evil stepmothers?"

"I did. No offense. Ya just didn't seem ta like me."

"For a child of Poseidon… and some mortal woman," Amphitrite said 'mortal woman' with as much dislike as she could muster, "You are not as terrible as I first thought."

"Sweet."

**Sorry I haven't updated in ages. I was going to post this chapter ages ago, but I didn't really like 'cos it was just a filler, but I don't really know what else to do for this bit otherwise the whole story would come to a standstill. I've got other ideas though that I hope to get up soon. **


	35. Back home

There was a continuous, loud knocking on the door. Someone was trying to get in and they wanted to get in now.

"I'm coming!" Jessica shouted, annoyed. It was four in the bloody morning. She yanked the door open, ready to shout at the visitor when…

"Mornin'." Louisa smiled cheekily.

"Lou…" Jessica's shock evaporated into relief and she crushed Louisa in a relieved hug. "Where have you been?"

"Um… at dad's." Louisa returned Jessica's hug.

"You've been gone a damn week! You could have Iris Messaged me or something."

"Sorry." Louisa mumbled. Jessica pulled her into the apartment.

Jessica fussed over Louisa for the next fifteen minutes, offering nectar, ambrosia and normal food, a warm bath and then off to bed. Jessica actually tucked Louisa in. "I should go missin' more often." Louisa smiled.

"Don't even joke about it, you horrible child." Louisa suddenly looked really angelic. Jessica sighed, smiling. "Do not run off again, OK?"

"'Kay." Jessica kissed Louisa's forehead and returned to bed.

Louisa rolled onto her side and smiled.

Jessica was a great mom.


	36. Discussion

Jessica knocked on Louisa's bedroom door and entered. She was a bit surprised to see Louisa rummaging under her bed, her lower body on the bed, one hand and her head on the floor for balance. "Lou, what _are_ you doing?"

"Lookin' for my comics." Louisa retrieved a dusty Harry Potter book form under the bed. "Ya ain't seen 'em, have ya?" She asked, chucking the book away. She liked the films, (up until Dobby's death), but the books where too much of an effort for an ADHD and dyslexic demigod.

"Have you checked your school bag?" Louisa rolled forward and sat up. Jessica laughed softly as Louisa got up. "Before you run away, I need to talk to you."

"Shoot." Louisa smiled.

"Uh, my mom has recently got in contact after three years for reasons unknown to me." Jessica sighed. "She wants to come over and stay for a few months."

"I ain't givin' up my bed." Jessica laughed.

"No, that's not what I was asking. She can sleep on the sofa bed."

"We have a sofa bed?"

"Yes." Jessica smiled. "Honestly, Lou, you'd lose your head if it wasn't screwed on tight." Louisa smiled sweetly. "Would you be OK if she stayed?"

"Don't mind. Why're ya askin' anyway? She's ya mom."

"I know, but she's a bit… um… upper class…"

"She's posh?"

"Sort of."

"Oh gods…" Louisa and posh people got on as well as Poseidon and Athena.

"And, erm, she doesn't know you're adopted." Jessica noticed a flicker of pain in Louisa's eyes as the demigod frowned. "Lou, don't get me wrong, I love having you and I would never let you go, but my mom has this thing against adoption."

"Why?"

"Something stupid about the child not being related by blood, meaning they're not family."

"Bullshit." Jessica raised her eyebrows slightly, but said nothing about the language. "I don't like her already." Jessica smiled weakly. "But she's ya mom. She's comin' over, ain't she?"

"In two days." Jessica confirmed. Louisa nodded and collapsed on her bed. "Can you try and keep the demigod stuff to a minimal or away from my mom?"

"I can't guarantee nothin', but I'll try."

"Thank you, Lou." Louisa smiled kindly. "And no pranks either, horrible." Louisa's smile turned devilish.

* * *

The next day at school, Louisa told her three friends about Jessica's mother.

"Apparently, she don't agree with adoption."

"What a cruel person." Connor said. "Adoption's great." Mikey and Dylan nodded in agreement.

"Don't worry, Lou- we'll still love you!" Mikey grinned, hugging her briefly. Louisa pushed him off, but she was smiling.

"Hey, d'you reckon we can meet Jessica's mom?" Dylan asked.

"Dunno. Maybe. She's stayin' for a few months, gods help me." Louisa pulled a face. "I'll see what Jessica says 'n' let ya know."

"Sweet."

* * *

**I know this chapter isn't much, but Jessica's mother's visit will span over a few chapters. **


	37. Denise

Jessica's mother, Denise, was a mildly plump woman of five foot four with mostly grey hair streaked with the original brown, not light, but not dark, a brown in the middle. She had the same blue eyes as Jessica, but whereas Jessica's were warm and kind, Denise's were dictating and disapproving. She wore a navy blue blouse tucked neatly into her ash grey, knee length skirt, dark grey tights and black 'old granny' shoes.

Louisa noticed the natural hair colour in Denise's greying hair and looked at Jessica. Jessica was blonde. Unless Jessica's dad was blonde, Louisa didn't understand.

"Mom, this is Louisa." Jessica paused, but her mother didn't notice her hesitation. Denise shuffled forward, moving her walking stick in time with her right foot.

"Where is the father?" Denise asked haughtily, looking Louisa up and down.

"Uh, he's… busy…"

"Does he live here?"

"No." Denise rounded on her daughter.

"So, you are a single mother?"

"Well, not exactly. He visits from time to time, doesn't he, Lou?" Louisa was watching Denise carefully and not paying attention. "Lou?"

"Uh?"

"Your dad. He visits often, doesn't he?"

"Oh, yeah, he does." Denise frowned, shuffling back to study Louisa. She tapped Louisa's shins with her walking stick.

"She's got his looks then?"

"Yeah." Denise continued her inspection of Louisa. Louisa restrained herself from blurting out something rude and offensive and from stepping away, (she wasn't that mean to floor old ladies). Her shins were going to be bruised by the walking stick. It took everything Louisa could muster to not snatch the walking stick and smack it over her adoptive grandmother's head.

"What is with your clothes? Are you a boy?" Louisa bit back another rude retort. "Do girls your age not wear jeans?"

"I don't like jeans."

"Mom, she's comfortable as she is. Uh, do you want some tea?"

"That would be nice. No sugar and a little milk."

"Please." Louisa grumbled.

"Excuse me?" Denise demanded sharply.

"I was told manners don't cost a penny." Jessica was sending a warning look behind her mother's back to Louisa, her blue eyes wide.

"You are not one to give out orders, young lady."

"'N' ya ain't in charge of me."

"Mom, why don't you get comfortable? Lou, please can you put Mom's bags in my room? _Gently_." Jessica stressed. Louisa and Denise continued to have a glare off. "Lou? _Gently_." Jessica moved around her mother and grabbed Louisa's shoulder. Louisa pulled away, stormed to the front door and snatched up Denise's bags. "_Gently_!" Jessica called after her.

Louisa made the point of kicking the door to Jessica's room open and dropping the bags with loud, dull _thuds_ on the floor.

Denise had been here five minutes and Louisa already wanted her to leave.

She had three more months of this.


	38. Bon appetite Nan

**By lil Miss Mysterious: **

**Ingredients for an epically chaotic story:  
-1 Louisa Smith-Jackson  
-1 Fancy Melodramatic Cruel person AKA Jessica's Mom  
-1 Jessica Smith  
Directions:  
-Put them together in Jessica's House for a couple months  
-Wait for it...  
Result:  
Utter Chaos**

Denise insisted that they had a 'proper' roast dinner and sat around the table like a 'real family'.

"How often does the father visit?"

"As often as he can. He's really busy."

"What does he do?"

"Uh, well…" Jessica and Louisa shared a look. Ancient Greek god of the seas wasn't an occupation easy to describe.

"He manages a big operation all over the sea." Louisa said, saving Jessica. Jessica shot her a grateful look. Louisa gave a nod; stabbing at the roast chicken slices she had been given.

"What sort of operation?"

"Uh, wars, marine life, drug smugglin' 'n' stuff like that."

"Does he offer you money for raising your daughter on your own?"

"No, but he helps us anyway."

"Helps you how?" Louisa flicked her broccoli off her plate. "Child, eat your greens and stop playing with your food!"

"Don't like broccoli. Looks like a snot tree." Jessica smiled. Denise pursed her lips disapprovingly.

"You need to teach this child about the health benefits of her vegetables."

"She does know, but if she doesn't like it, she won't eat it." Jessica smiled at Louisa. "She's stubborn like that."

"Rubbish. When you were a child, you ate what you were given or you went hungry." Denise looked back at Louisa. Louisa stared back, bored. "Your mother put time and effort into making that food for you. Blooming well eat it, child."

"If ya love veg so much, you flamin' eat it."

"Lou!"

"Oh, very sorry." Louisa didn't sound 'very sorry' at all. Far from it. She got up, plate in hand and dumped her food in Denise's lap. "Bon appetite, _Nan_." And with that, Louisa stormed off to her room, slamming the door behind her.

Denise glared at Jessica.

"Are you going to let her get away with that?"

"I-I'll talk to her." Jessica got up.

"That child needs discipline! Forget talking to her, smack her!" Jessica tensed and looked back.

"I will never hit her." Jessica paused. "I'm not you."


	39. Question

Jessica found Louisa sulking on the fire escape outside the bedroom window.

She wasn't alone either.

"-don't like her."

"Give her a chance, Louisa." Jessica leant on the windowsill. "Good evening, Jessica." Poseidon smiled.

"And to you." Jessica smiled. She looked down at Louisa. "You OK, Lou?" Louisa nodded, hugging her knees to her chest. Poseidon put an arm around his daughter.

"You are welcome to visit anytime you wish, Louisa."

"Thanks Dad."

"I will leave you to talk." He smiled kindly and melted into a stream of water and a sea breeze, twisting through the air and was gone.

Jessica sat next to Louisa. They sat in silence for a short while.

"Don't turn out like ya mom." Louisa said. Jessica smiled and pulled Louisa into a hug.

"I won't."

"Thanks." Louisa rested her head on Jessica's shoulder. "Does she pick at everythin'?"

"Yeah."

"How the hell did ya live with her?"

"I moved out as soon as I could." Louisa nodded.

"Jessica?"

"Mm?"

"Why-? Why didn't-?" Louisa looked pained. "Why didn't my real mom want me?" Jessica had been expecting this conversation.

"It's not the case of not wanting you. She could have had financial issues, was too young or was too scared. She had the heart to put you into care instead of… well, aborting you." Louisa winced. "She wanted to keep you, Lou, but knew it would be better for both of you to place you in someone else's care." Worry stabbed at Jessica's heart. "Why?"

"Roxy was goin' on 'bout me bein' adopted again." The worry evaporated quickly, replaced with relief.

"Don't listen to her, Lou. She's a cow."

"Ya got that right." Louisa smiled.


	40. Did not see that coming!

"I am slowly goin' insane."

"I thought you were insane."

"I'm even more insane." Louisa looked at Mikey. "I know it's wrong, but I really wanna kill an old lady." Her three friends grinned at her. "No, seriously, she's usin' me as her little slave 'n' calls me 'child' with the most hate she can spit out."

"Aw, does Lou not like her nana?" Dylan teased.

"No, I don't."

"Are you seriously having nana issues?" Louisa mentally groaned and turned to face Roxy.

"What's it to you?" Roxy put a hand on her hip, flicked her long hair over her shoulder and fixed Louisa with an 'I'm more important than you' smug look. Louisa folded her arms and glared at her stubbornly and pointedly.

"I was just thinking- you can't have nana issues if she's not your real nana. I mean, you're adopted, right?"

"Ya sound like a friggin' broken record, bitch." Roxy scowled.

"Take that back."

"Make me." Louisa challenged. Mikey stepped between the two rivals before Roxy could slap Louisa. He was more worried about Louisa breaking bones and flooding the floor again, but he tried not to think about that one.

"Ladies, please. Don't fight."

"Mikey, ya buzzkill. Shift ya ass."

"No." Mikey smiled simply.

"I'm goin' off you." Louisa told him. Mikey grinned.

"You love me really, sis." Louisa rolled her eyes.

It was Roxy that pushed Mikey out the way and slapped Louisa.

"That's for calling me a bitch, _freak_." Louisa looked round, her expression calm, but her eyes as stormy as a raging ocean.

"Bitch goin' down." She said.

* * *

Jessica was trying to think how to ease over the awkward and tense air surrounding her and her mother when the phone rang. She jumped up to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Jessica?"

"Hello again." Jessica sighed. "What's she done now?"

"She's gotten into a fight with Roxy."

"Again?"

"Again. They've been dragged apart and put in different rooms. Louisa's still shouting obscenities about Roxy while Roxy sits with the school nurse, tending a nose bleed." Jessica sighed.

"Jessica, who is it?" Denise asked shrilly.

"Who was that?" The principal asked, lowering his tone.

"Mom, it's the principal. From Lou's school."

"What does he want?" Jessica hesistated.

"Lou got in a fight." Denise frowned. "Um, do I have to pick her up?"

"We need to talk first. Roxy's mother has been phoned as well and we're going to try and get this sorted."

"Good luck." Jessica sighed. "Be there in ten."

"OK." The principal hung up. Jessica put the phone down.

"What is going on?"

"I have to go in and sit in an office for an hour with Louisa, Roxy and Roxy's mom." Jessica sighed. Last time, she had just managed to stop Louisa throwing Roxy out the window. The time before that, she had to stop Louisa drowning Roxy in the fish tank.

"I will come with you." Denise decided.

"No!" Denise frowned. "Mom, stay here and rest. It's fine, nothing I can't deal with."

"Clearly you cannot deal with it if the child is still getting into fights." Jessica struggled to find an excuse - _any_ excuse – as to why her mother couldn't come, but Denise had her mind set. There was no changing it.

* * *

"She started it!" Roxy claimed. "Started calling me the b-word and hitting me!"

"You fuckin' liar!"

"Louisa, language!" The principal scolded. Louisa made to retort, but stopped. "I want the truth." The principal sighed.

"Oh, like ya gonna get the truth outta that piece of shit."

"That _piece of shit_ is my daughter!" Roxy's mother, an older, taller version of Roxy, snapped.

"I don't care!" Louisa shouted. "As far as I'm concerned, ya can both take a runnin' jump off a fuckin' cliff!"

"Lou, calm down." Jessica advised. Louisa folded her arms and sat down heavily and sulkily in her chair.

The principal pinched the bridge of his nose, his eyes closed tiresomely. This was not going to end well.

He pressed a button on the phone on his desk.

"Can you get Mikey, Dylan and Connor to come to my office please?"

"Yes sir." The receptionist replied.

"Before the boys get here, I'll give you both another chance to tell the truth." The principal looked wearily at the two rivals, who were now sharing major death stares.

"I'll get you done for assault." Roxy threatened.

"Go on then, _bitch_." Louisa snarled, making to get up. Jessica jumped up, placed her hands on Louisa's shoulders and sat the demigod back down.

"The _truth_." The principal stressed. Louisa sent a quick glare at Denise, who noticed. Before the elder could say anything, Louisa spoke up, her voice trembling in anger.

"I was talkin' ta the guys when Pinocchio butted her fat nose in." Roxy bristled and started talking. Louisa talked over her, holding tightly onto the arms of the chair to stop herself from reaching over and punching her rival in the face. "She hit me first."

"Why did she hit you? Did you provoke her?" The principal asked.

"I called her a 'bitch' after she started takin' the piss." Louisa paused, glancing at Denise. "The usual shit." She muttered. "Then she told me ta take it back 'n' I told her ta make me." Louisa got up to Roxy slapping her when Roxy butted in.

"She hit me!"

"Ya hit me first!"

The boys arrived to break up the fight.

"Oh thank heavens." The principal laughed. "Boys, what happened?" Dylan started explaining, but he screwed up instantly.

"Roxy was annoying Lou about the whole adoption thing and-"

"Adoption?!" Denise shrieked. Louisa covered her ears, Denise having screamed in her left.

"Ow." Jessica slouched in her seat.

"Uh…" Dylan said brilliantly.

"Why didn't you tell me she was adopted?" Denise demanded, glaring at Jessica.

"Because I knew you'd react like this!" Jessica retorted.

"'Cos she don't like you!" Louisa said at the same time. Denise glared from one to the other.

"You know I'm against adoption." Jessica scoffed and for the first time ever in Louisa's presence, Jessica was angry.

"Funny. Didn't you put my only _real_ child up for adoption?"

* * *

**Cliffy! Lemme know what you think! :D **


	41. From tears to coffee

**Fanfiction has a new design. Not sure if I like it or not...**

**Anyway, had two 'dun dun dun's from people last night, which was pretty cool. Someone else isn't happy I upset Jessica, but hey- this is a fic by ArtemisApollo97. Of course people are gonna get upset.**

* * *

"It was for you own good!" Denise protested.

"No it wasn't! You blamed me for Dad leaving and made it your life's goal to stop me being happy!"

"As if you would ever be happy at fifteen years old with a little brat to care for."

"I was!" Jessica snapped. "I was ready to go and leave your ugly mug behind and start a new life someone, but dear old mom thought different!"

"I was looking out for you! That brat would have caused nothing but trouble!"

"That _brat_ was my daughter! I never saw her, never held her- I never even _named_ her!"

"You didn't deserve to!"

"And you did?!" Denise struggled for a reply, anger clouding her mind. "I hate you! Dad probably did a runner because he couldn't stand to be around you anymore!"

"You _dare _blame me!" Denise made to hit Jessica, but Louisa jumped up and grabbed Denise's wrist.

"Don't ya _dare_ hit her."

"Or what? You'll hit me?" Louisa tightened her grip on Denise's wrist, making the elder wince.

"No. But I've got friends in high places 'n' it's real easy ta ask 'em ta make the rest of ya life 'n' more a livin' hell." There was a cold, menacing light in Louisa's eyes, sending a chill down Denise's spine.

Denise tried to snatch her hand away, but Louisa held on tight. "Where'd ya send Jessica's kid?"

"That's none of your business." Louisa doubled her grip. Denise grimaced. "Why would care?"

"Jessica's my mom, blood-related or not. Where's her kid 'n' what's her name?"

"Ask those friends of yours." Denise sneered.

The door opened. A few seconds later, Louisa was pulled away from Denise. "Who are you?" Denise asked.

"Louisa's father." Poseidon replied smoothly. Everyone stared at him, except Jessica and Louisa. "Come on you two, we're going." Poseidon put his arms around Jessica and Louisa and led them out.

Jessica instantly burst into tears. Louisa pulled free from her father's grip and hugged Jessica tightly. Jessica returned the hug, trying to stifle her sobs.

"I-I'm s-sorry." She cried.

"Ya ain't the one ta be sorry. Ya stinkin' mom should be sayin' sorry." Poseidon flicked his hand and handed Jessica a soft, linen handkerchief rimmed with sea green. She thanked him and attempted to dry her eyes. Louisa looked over her shoulder at her dad. "Dad, where's Jessica's daughter?" Poseidon frowned.

"I'll have to get back to you on that one, Louisa." He paused. "I'll ask Hestia- she's good at tracking lost children."

"She ain't lost- she was taken."

"You know what I meant, Louisa." Poseidon smiled.

"Thanks Dad." Poseidon gave a nod, placed a hand on each of their shoulders and they all melted into a trail of water.

Louisa had never travelled in water form. She didn't even know if she could, being a demigod and all. But it quickly became her 'Top 5 fave things to do'. It was so cool and calming, yet had that feeling you get in your stomach when on a rollercoaster. Unfortunately, the ride was over quickly. Jessica was a bit dazed from the godly travel, her mortal mind and body unable to withstand it. Poseidon kept a hand on Jessica's elbow, steadying her. He and Louisa helped Jessica sit down. Louisa sat with her while Poseidon went to make coffee. It was something, having the Greek god of the seas making her coffee, but Jessica didn't give it much thought.

Jessica stared into space, tears streaming down her cheeks. Louisa hugged her again, but remained silent. Normally when people cried, she had Mikey or Connor deal with it.

"I should have told you." Jessica mumbled.

"Ya didn't need ta if ya didn't wanna." Jessica absent-mindedly began playing with Louisa's hair, her hands shaking. Jessica had first been a mom- a 'real' mom- at fifteen. That was four years older than Louisa now. Louisa thought about kids. No, hell no, she didn't want any. She didn't mind kids on good days, but those were rare days. Kids were so annoying!

"I would have called her Samantha." Jessica paused. "Or, funnily enough, Louise."

"Really?" Jessica nodded, giving a small, sad smile. "Close enough."

"Louisa?" Poseidon called. "This mortal technology is weird." Louisa cracked a grin and Jessica's smile brightened slightly.

"Need some help, Dad?"

"Um… maybe." Poseidon replied intelligently. Louisa looked at Jessica.

"Back in a sec."

"You would have thought a god would know what he was doing." Louisa nodded in agreement, jumping up and rushing off to help her dad. Jessica listened to them bickering playfully over how to make a coffee.

"You live here!" Poseidon laughed.

"I'm not trusted with anythin' sharp, hot or electrical."

"Fair enough."

"Do you need some help?" Jessica called.

"We've got it!" Louisa called back. "We've got it, right?"

It wasn't ideal to have a god and his daughter making coffee.


	42. Louisa VS Denise

Louisa would like to have said she found Jessica's daughter easy peasy with a hotdog to spare.

It didn't quite work like that.

First of all, Denise strolled back in and acted as if nothing had happened. That caused another argument and Poseidon had to take Louisa out for a walk before Louisa said something unforgivable to her wretched 'nan'.

They returned an hour later to find the argument had blown into a full out row. Louisa instantly joined in when she saw the tears streaming down Jessica's face.

"Bitch!" Louisa shouted over both of them, glaring at Denise. Denise turned red with anger.

"What did you say?" She spat. Louisa swore she saw spittle fly from the old granny's lips.

"Bitch!" Louisa repeated with more hatred and stubbornness. Denise hobbled over to her as fast as she could.

"Take that back."

"Make me,_ hag bitch_." Denise slapped Louisa, hard.

Louisa couldn't hit old grannies. She knew that. But that didn't mean she couldn't cuss them out.

"I know a four year old who can hit harder than you, bitch."

"You're asking for another slap." Denise was shaking in anger. Louisa bunched her fists.

"Go on then. Hit me." Denise didn't. "_Hit me_!" Louisa ordered, her voice ringing with the power of the ocean. Even Poseidon took a step back, his stormy eyes calming slightly in bewilderment. Denise raised her hand, holding Louisa's murderous glare.

She faltered. Louisa sneered. "See, ya can't do that. But ya can take someone's kid away from them without a second thought."

"Where's your real mother then, brat?"

"There." Louisa pointed at Jessica. "'N' don't start with the adopted shit 'cos you're as friggin' messed up in it as much as we are."

"You want to sort your language out." Denise snapped.

"You wanna sort yaself out before criticisin' other people!" Louisa shouted. Denise fumbled for a reply, now an interesting shade of magenta.

Instead of retorting, she slapped Louisa again. "Still didn't hurt." Louisa smirked, looking incredibly evil. Denise took an involuntary step back. Louisa noticed and her sneer turned into an evil grin. Jessica made the mental note not to get in Louisa's bad books. "What're ya gonna do now, bitch?" Denise closed the distance between them, getting right in Louisa's face.

"Mark my words, _brat_, you will not be here much longer!"

"Gonna take another kid from ya own daughter?" Louisa retorted shortly. "'Cos ya can't do anythin' else 'cos ya a pathetic old woman who treats everyone like shit on her shoe!" Louisa's voice steadily increased until she was shouting again.

Jessica looked frantically at Poseidon as a storm kicked up outside, thunder rattling the windows.

"Do something!"

"Louisa…" Poseidon took Louisa by the arm and tried to pull her away, but the demigod yanked her arm free.

"Why'd you get rid of Jessica's kid?" Louisa's voice shook in anger but was calmer, which meant she was angrier, restraining herself from shouting.

"Because she wasn't ready to deal with that."

"She was. Ya heard her yaself." Denise's eyes flittered from Louisa's, indicating that the elder woman knew the truth in Louisa's words. "Why'd ya do it?" Denise didn't answer. "Why. Did you. Get rid of. My mom's kid?" Louisa spoke slowly and patronizingly, her temper boiling to new levels.

"What has it got to do with you?"

"Everythin'!" Louisa argued, her voice rising again. "Jessica 'n' my dad are the only family I've got 'n' if you mess with them, ya mess with me!"

"As if you would do anything." Denise sneered. Rain started to pound heavily on the windows as lightning flashed and thunder boomed.

"Oh, trust me. I will." Denise looked Louisa up and down. "Where's my mom's kid?!" Louisa raged.

"I don't know! She was a worthless brat, not worth my time in keeping track of! A worthless brat just. Like. You!" Denise shoved Louisa away as thunder rumbled outside again. The wind whistled by, loud and sharp. Jessica was sending a panicky look at Poseidon. Why wasn't he doing anything?

"You're a fuckin' liar!" Louisa shouted. "Tell me what ya know _now_!"

"Why?"

"'Cos someone as bloody well decent as Jessica deserves ta know, ya _stupid_ bitch!" Denise fought for a reply. "With a mom as shitty as you, how the hell did she end up so nice?!"

"I'm a bad mother?"

"No shit, Sherlock!"

"That is enough!" Denise hit Louisa again. Jessica flinched, as if her mother had taken a swing for her. "I will not put up with this abuse from a ragtag brat! You _dare_ talk to me like that!"

"I'll talk ta anyone any friggin' way I want, hag! There ain't nothin' ya can do!"

"Do something _please_!" Jessica begged Poseidon. He held her gaze momentarily. He snapped his fingers. Denise's eyes rolled back in her head and she fainted. "Did you kill her?!" Jessica panicked, catching her mother before she cracked her head on the table.

"No, of course not." Poseidon said simply. "She is merely asleep. When she wakes, she will remember nothing of this trip and be back home." Denise's form shimmered and she was gone in a twist of water. Poseidon focused his attention on his daughter. "Louisa?"

"What?" She demanded through gritted teeth, her fists bunched, shoulders hunched and shaking in anger.

"You see that storm outside?" Louisa gave a stiff nod, glaring out the window. "You caused that." Jessica looked out at the storm as well. She had seen Louisa make storms before, but none of this scale. It had rolled in in a matter of seconds, deep purple and jet black clouds rumbling with earth-shaking thunder. Rain fell in sheets, so heavy and so thick; it was like standing under Niagara Falls and ten times worse. Lightning flared across the darkened, stormy sky, bringing with it a clap of thunder so loud it made Jessica's ears ring.

Louisa glared out of the window some more, breathing heavily, trying to calm down.

"I don't like ya mom."


	43. Found her

Hestia had tracked down Jessica's daughter for Louisa.

Elizabeth Catherine Campbell, nearly nineteen years old and living in her own apartment in the city, about two miles away- that was all the information Hestia had given Louisa.

Apparently Elizabeth- or Lizzy, as she liked to be called- knew she was adopted and had been looking for her real mother for nearly two years now.

Louisa now knew where Jessica's real daughter was. She hadn't told Jessica in fear of upsetting her. What Louisa didn't understand was that now she had done something worthwhile to pay back everything she owed Jessica… why did she feel so terrible?

Harvey came round that day. Louisa sat at the table and glared at him for most of his visit, willing him to fuck off. He didn't, returning the glares when Jessica wasn't looking.

Thankfully, Connor, Dylan and Mikey turned up about two and offered to take her out for her 'walkies', as Dylan called it. That got him a solid punch to the arm and he complained about a dead arm until Louisa threatened to rip his voice box out if he didn't shut up.

"Lou, behave! And be careful, OK?"

"Will do," Jessica smiled and hugged Louisa tightly, "Mom." Louisa added quietly. Jessica tightened the hug briefly, kissed Louisa on the forehead and let her go.

"Be back by five!" She called after her. Louisa and the boys waved and called the lift. Jessica closed the door after making sure they got in the lift. Mikey had to hold Louisa's hands to make sure she didn't do a Buddy-the-Elf and press all the buttons.

"You never did tell us where Jessica's mom went." Connor smiled.

"She went home."

"Something happened, didn't it?"

"Did you have a fight?" Dylan asked, grinning. Louisa looked at him like 'what the fuck?' Dylan sulked childishly. "No beating up old ladies. Got it."

"What happened, Lou?"

"Basically, she's an old, wrinkled shit 'n' no-one liked her. She hit me a couple of times, although I did kinda tell her to."

"Why?" Mikey asked, bewildered.

"'Cos it annoyed her when I said it didn't hurt."

"Oh… You're weird."

"Yeah, I know. 'N' I don't give a shit." Louisa hit him for interrupting. "Anyway, it was back 'n' forth, me swearin' 'n' her sayin' what a brat I was 'n' all that shit. Dad butted in 'n' made her go ta sleep 'n' then she was gone."

"You're leaving out the good parts."

"If ya want ta know the good parts, ya should've been there, dumbass."

"Sorry, but your dad kinda pulled you and Jessica out of the office before we could say 'Shit's going down'."

"Hey, finally. Dylan swore." Dylan stuck his tongue out at her. Louisa mimicked.

"Where are we going?" Mikey asked.

"Not a clue." Connor answered truthfully. "Dylan?" Dylan shrugged. "OK… Lou?" Louisa tapped her fingers on her chin, thinking. "She's got an idea. What is it, Lou?"

"Well… I found Jessica's real daughter…"

"And you want us to go with you?" Louisa hesitated.

"Only if you wanna, guys."

"We don't mind, Lou, honest."

"It's 'bout two miles from here."

"Even better." Dylan grinned. "Mom wanted me to do chores when I got home. If I'm out, I won't have to do it."

"Your brother will." Connor smiled. Dylan returned it and nodded. "Alright, Lou, where are we going?"

"You guys sure?"

"We've got nothing better to do, Lou." Mikey smiled, hugging her from behind, his arms around her neck. "We'll get a taxi and split the bill."

"Wow, Mike, you have to be psychic." Dylan started.

"He made sure we bought at least ten dollars with us." Connor laughed. "Each." He added.

"He has got some psychic shit goin' on, don't he?" Mikey smiled sweetly. "Now get ya arms off me before ya have to learn how ta write 'n' other shit with ya toes." Mikey removed his arms hastily, giving her his best innocent look. Louisa hailed a taxi and they got in, the boys in the back and Louisa sitting shotgun. She gave the taxi driver the address she had remembered and they were off.

Louisa was in two minds about this. She was doing the right thing… wasn't she?

* * *

**Ooh, cliffy! REVIEW FOR UPDATES! Simple as ;) **


	44. Ta-da

**Sorry I haven't updated in ages, but I've been working on other fics, but I've got a chance now. I'm making this up on the spot, so apologies if it's pants.**

* * *

ADHD or not, Louisa was impatient and fidgety. The taxi ride, the elevator ride and then the wait for Elizabeth to answer the flipping door- Louisa couldn't focus on one thing for more than a few seconds. She had trouble focusing anyway, but today more than ever.

"Are you OK, Lou?" Connor asked quietly. Louisa nodded as the door opened.

Elizabeth was slim and tall, five foot eight. Her long, brown hair, not too dark or too light, was tied back in a high ponytail and her eyes were a mix of amber and blue- strange eyes, but they looked really cool. She wore skinny jeans and a casual sweater.

"Who are you?" She asked, looking at them individually, curious. Louisa was noticing similarities between Lizzy and Jessica and it distracted her. Connor, Dylan and Mikey were watching her expectantly. "Hellooo, anyone home?" Louisa pulled herself together.

"Elizabeth Campbell?" She asked. The young woman nodded, frowning.

"Who are you?" She asked again.

"Uh, I'm Lou." The boys introduced themselves, offering friendly smiles.

"Right… is there something I can do for you?" Louisa tried to frame the words, but felt sick.

"We… uh… I, um…" Connor put his hand on Louisa's shoulder. Louisa sighed. "I tracked you down to help my foster mom find her real daughter." Louisa blurted. Lizzy blinked at her.

"No kidding?"

"No kidding." Louisa confirmed, holding Lizzy's gaze. Lizzy gave a disbelieving laugh.

"So, she adopted you after getting rid of me?" Louisa angered and the boys were pleased to see her old fire cutting through her nerves. Louisa spat out the whole conflict between Jessica and Denise, mentioning the forced adoption and how Jessica was crying her heart out over her real daughter after all these years. Lizzy studied them carefully before waving them in.

"This better be true or I'll… there'll be consequences."

"I'll manage." Louisa muttered.

"Give me ten minutes." Lizzy told them.

* * *

Jessica was getting worried. It was nearly six and Louisa wasn't home, even though she had been told to be back at five. Harvey had left nearly two hours ago and Jessica hadn't stopped pacing the apartment, waiting for Louisa to return. Louisa's dinner was sitting in the microwave, stone cold.

At half six, the door opened. Jessica whirled round.

"Where have you been?" She demanded, relief in her tone.

"Uh…" Louisa replied brilliantly as Jessica hurried forward and hugged her tightly. "I took the guys home."

"Everything OK though?"

"Yeah… um…"

"What have you done?" Louisa gave a sheepish smile and waved in the direction of the door.

"Found her." Jessica's heart stopped as Lizzy walked in.


	45. Early truth

Jessica and Lizzy stared at each other, not quite sure what to say. Louisa watched the two carefully, wishing one of her friends' parents had agreed to let one of them stay for the night. It would have been so much easier with one of them there.

"Lou… are you… are you sure?" Louisa nodded, chewing her lip.

"I think she looks like you."

"But she's blonde." Lizzy said.

"I-I dyed my hair so I wouldn't look like my mom." Jessica explained quietly.

"Oh." Lizzy said, pressing her lips together nervously.

Louisa wasn't sure what she expected with this reunion- well, union, seeing as Jessica had never even seen Lizzy before she was taken away.

"Lou, why didn't you say?"

"Surprise?" Louisa shrugged.

"Thank-you." Jessica said audibly, tears filling her eyes. "Um…" Jessica looked at Lizzy. "I don't even know your name."

"Elizabeth, but everyone calls me Lizzy."

"Lizzy." Jessica smiled. "Come in and… and make yourself comfortable. Coffee?"

"At half six in the evening?" Lizzy smiled.

"Why not?" Jessica smiled in return.

While Jessica made two coffees and a hot chocolate, Louisa and Lizzy were left sitting awkwardly at either end of the table.

"So… I guess this kinda makes you my little sister." Lizzy smiled, trying to break the ice.

"Mmm…" Louisa hummed, cracking her knuckles. Silence fell over them again. "Uh, favourite colour?"

"Blue. Yours?"

"Red."

"Favourite animal?" Lizzy asked, sitting up straighter. Twenty questions was a better ice-breaker.

Louisa nearly said Pegasus, but settled with horse. "Yours?"

"Snake." Louisa winced. "What?"

"Don't like snakes." She muttered.

"Oh. Oops. Why?"

"Um… long story…" Louisa thought quickly. "Favourite band?"

"Uh… You me at six." Louisa grinned. "You like them too, huh?" Louisa nodded. "What's your fave band then?"

"Hollywood Undead." Lizzy frowned slightly. "They're good… bit rude though."

"Oh, OK." Lizzy drummed her fingers on the table as Jessica carried a tray of their drinks and a plate of biscuits in. Louisa instantly reached for a chocolate digestive, but Jessica playfully smacked her hand away.

"Mine."

"Aw, what?"

"Shortbread?"

"Just this once." Louisa relented. "Thanks." She sat back with her hot chocolate and shortbread.

"So, are you girls getting on?" Jessica asked, sitting down.

"Well, Lou doesn't like snakes, but I think we're OK on music likes."

"Hollywood Undead?" Jessica smiled.

"No, You me at six."

"They're good." Louisa added. Jessica nodded, sipping her coffee. It seemed easier to talk with Jessica sitting there to ask questions and keep the conversation flowing.

"I was, um, recently fired from working in McDonalds, but I'm not that fussed 'cos I didn't like my boss."

"Shame that. I could've done with free McDonalds."

"Lou!"

"Sorry." Louisa muttered. She took another drink. "Heh, choccie moustache." She tried to look down at the hot chocolate moustache, making Jessica and Lizzy laugh.

"Lou, clean it up." Louisa licked her lips, smiling.

* * *

They stayed up until eleven-ish. The unease in Louisa's stomach had eased slightly, but not completely. She wasn't sure what it was, but something about Lizzy seemed a bit… different. Honestly, how many people had amber eyes? Like bright, amber eyes? And mixed with blue as well, the same blue as Jessica's eyes.

It turned out Lizzy was a bit of a fashion designer. Louisa automatically groaned in annoyance, making them smile, but Lizzy assured her that she designed for men and women, adults and children.

"Well, that ain't so bad."

"Glad you think so." Lizzy smiled, looking at Louisa curiously.

"I ain't gonna be a model." Lizzy blinked at her and Louisa gave her trademark grin, the one that unnerved people and gave her a look of pure insanity and evil.

"She has this freaky mind reading thing." Jessica laughed. "Unfortunately, no numbers."

"I tried, but ya know what they're like." Louisa grinned. Jessica just nodded.

"How long have you been looking after Lou?" Lizzy asked carefully.

"Uh… nearly two years."

"Year 'n' a half." Louisa said at the same time. Jessica looked at her quizzically. "Sorry for bein' accurate."

"Oh, shut up." Jessica smiled. Louisa yawned into her hands. "Tired?" Louisa nodded and put her head on the table. "Bed."

"Too far away…" Louisa complained.

"Snake." Louisa jumped up.

"Where?" She demanded, searching the ground. Jessica gave a smug smile. "Spider." Louisa countered.

"I'm not falling for that."

"No, I'm serious. Spider." Louisa pointed. Jessica gullibly looked round and noticed the spider in the corner of the ceiling.

"Lou, get it." She demanded, tensing.

"I'm tired 'n' I'm goin' ta bed."

"But it might be gone in the morning." Jessica whimpered.

"Lou, get it please." Lizzy asked, her eyes fixed on the spider.

"Ya don't like spiders either? Sweet."

"Do not be mean and just get the bloody spider." Louisa grumbled and complained, but dragged a dining table chair to the corner and stood on it. Yes, she was short. Yes, say anything and your head will be going up your ass.

Louisa carefully caught the spider in her hands.

"Window." She said, jumping down. Jessica hurried to open a window and Louisa chucked the spider out. "OK, gone." Louisa yawned again. "Night."

"Night." Lizzy said. Jessica closed and locked the window.

"Forgetting something?" She asked, tapping the glass with her finger. Louisa swivelled on her heel, scowling. Lizzy watched curiously as Louisa drummed her fingers on the window. Condensation slowly spread from Louisa's fingertips, covering the whole window. Louisa removed her hand and went to bed.

"What was that?"

"Um…" Jessica said brilliantly. "It's a Louisa thing." She settled with.

"No, seriously, what was that?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Try me." Jessica hesitated. Louisa was watching her sleepily from her bedroom doorway. She gave a small, reassuring smile and nodded, before closing the door and going to bed.

"Well… Louisa isn't, um, normal, to put it bluntly."

"Not normal? How'd you mean?"

"She's ADHD and dyslexic, but that's something else. She, uh… what do you know about Greek gods and mythology?"

"Min-"

"Don't say his name!" Louisa called from her room. "I can't be asked ta deal with ground beef tanight!"

"OK, _what_?" Jessica hurriedly explained as best she could. Lizzy stared at her as if she had gone mad. She glanced at the clock on the wall, faked a yawn and stretched.

"Oh, boy, look at the time. I really have to go. Um… nice meeting you." Lizzy headed towards the door. Jessica grabbed her arm.

"Stay. Stay and Louisa can prove it in the morning." Jessica pleaded. "Please. I know it sounds crazy, but it's true. I didn't believe it at first, but I had her dad come to visit me." Lizzy watched her curiously. Jessica prayed for help.

"If it's not true, I'm calling for you two to go to the loony ward."

"Been there, done that!" Louisa called.

"You're supposed to be asleep!" Lizzy called back. She pointed at Jessica. "I know I've just met you and all, and I'm grateful that Louisa turned up on my doorstep saying she could take me to my real mom, but that stuff is whacked."

"I know. But it's true. You'll see." Jessica thanked whoever who had helped her silently. "Give me a hand getting the sofa bed out then." She smiled.


	46. Why, just why?

**Looking up stuff- found a minor Greek goddess called Thalia. Comedy. Greek goddess of comedy. Thalia Grace. One of Rick's sources of comedy. Does anybody else see that or is it just me? **

**And Pan was the son of Hermes, apparently. I find weird stuff.**

* * *

Jessica sat at one end of the table, Lizzy sat at the other and Louisa was sat in the middle on the side. In front of her sat a bowl of water. Jessica was chewing her lip and Lizzy was watching her expectantly. Louisa glanced at her mother. Jessica gave her best reassuring smile and nodded. Louisa looked at the water and dipped her fingers in the cool liquid. She drew her hand up, the water twisting around her hand. Lizzy's jaw dropped. Louisa got into her groove and started making various shapes out of the water, first of all a sphere before she prodded and poked it at various points. She made a hippocampus, a Pegasus, an eagle, a crocodile and the Statue of Liberty.

The water fell back into the bowl. Louisa looked casually up at Lizzy, looking for a response. Lizzy just stared back, shocked to the core.

"B-b-but…" She stammered. "How?" She breathed.

"I told you." Jessica smiled, looking more relaxed.

"But… but they're myths!"

"Ah, they don't like bein' called myths. They tend ta get mad 'n' destroy things." Lizzy fidgeted nervously in her seat.

"So… who's your, uh, god parent?"

"Guess." Louisa challenged, offering a cheery, innocent smile. Lizzy pulled a face.

"I don't know that many."

"Just guess."

"Uh… Athe-?"

"No!" Lizzy's eyes widened at the sudden force in Louisa's tone. Louisa sighed. "Sorry. She doesn't like me."

"Oh… oops." Lizzy thought for a while. "Can I use your computer?" She asked Jessica. Jessica nodded. Lizzy got up and left.

"This won't cause you anymore trouble, will it?" She asked Louisa.

"I get trouble all the time. What's it matter?"

"It's dangerous."

"Oh, really?" She asked sarcastically. "I hadn't noticed."

"Shut it, you horrible child."

"I prefer 'little devil'." Louisa paused. "Oh. No. Can't have that…"

"Why?"

"Hades isn't my dad. I can't be little devil." Louisa drummed her fingers on the table either side of the bowl. "Just go with 'horrible child' 'til I think of somethin'." Jessica gave a soft laugh.

It took another twenty minutes for Lizzy to find out who Louisa's dad was.

"Poseidon."

"Yup."

"Is there anything else you can do?"

"Anythin' else?"

"Yeah, besides controlling water."

"Uh… I can make storms, summon hurricanes, talk ta horses, make earthquakes, breathe underwater 'n' I can go to the bottom of the sea 'n' be fine. 'N' I can make the water make me swim faster, which is pretty cool. I can talk ta any sea or water creature 'n' I've made friends with the world's friendliest shark." Lizzy was chewing her lip.

"She normally makes storms when she's angry without meaning to." Jessica added. "The hurricanes would be her personal touch. And water can heal you as well, can't it?"

"Oh, yeah, that too. 'N' I've got some nifty control over boats 'n' stuff."

"Boats?"

"Yeah. The older the boats, the better." Louisa paused. "Lemme rephrase that- a boat with sails 'n' stuff are much better than modern boats."

"Oh, OK. I was thinking you meant something old and rickety with loads of holes in." Louisa grinned. "This is all crazy."

"But you believe us?" Jessica asked.

"I think so, yeah."

"Good. What are we doin' today?"

"Well, I was thinking we could all go out and doing something… uh… mother-and-daughter-y."

"Is that one word?"

"Hyphened." Louisa frowned. "The little lines."

"Oh." Louisa smiled.

"Come on then."

"I call shotgun!" Louisa exclaimed, running for the door.

"Shotgun reloaded!" Lizzy challenged. Louisa looked back, pulling her trainers on.

"Demigod laws. Sorry- no shotgun for a mere mortal."

"Oh, you little so and so." Louisa ran out the door. Lizzy followed, pausing to pull her shoes on before running after Louisa.

Jessica smiled.

* * *

Louisa was actually having a nice time, getting to know her new sister and munching on apple pie when screams shot up and people started running.

"What's going- oh my god, what is that?" Louisa calmly finished her apple pie. Jessica and Lizzy backed up, reaching a safe of distance of about seven feet and staring at something above Louisa's head, their eyes wide with fear.

Louisa scratched the inside of her wrist, before drawing the celestial bronze knife from the sleeve. She got up carefully, feeling hot breath snort on her head, ruffling her hair. It bought a smell of rotten meat and she tried not to hurl. That was disgusting.

She polished the knife on her sleeve before checking the reflection. She caught sight of a leather chest plate. She tilted the knife and was met with the Minotaur's scarlet glare.

"Oh, ground beef."

"Ground beef?" Lizzy squeaked.

"Yeah, ground beef. Ya might wanna scoot." Louisa made a shooing motion with her hand as the Minotaur raised his fists above his head.

Louisa kicked off the chair, onto the table and jumped onto the next as the Minotaur smashed the first table to splinters.

She continued to jump from table to table, the Minotaur bellowing loudly and charging, his bulk sending tables and chairs flying in every direction.

He nearly caught her, but she turned quickly, threw the knife and ran off, making a break for the exit while the Minotaur dealt with a knife in his eye.

Louisa sprinted away from the coffee shop as the monster slammed through the wall, bringing down rubble around him as his bulk couldn't fit through the door. Many other shoppers were parting or running away as the Minotaur barrelled after Louisa.

She sprinted solid for five minutes before noticing there were barriers surrounding holes in the floor that allowed people to look down on the floor below. Louisa ran towards that and vaulted over the barrier, landing squarely on her feet on top of a vendor thing. She jumped down and carried on running, summoning her bow. According to the screams ringing out behind and the loud thuds and crunch of marble floor, the Minotaur was closing in.

What could she do? Where could she go? People were running off in every direction, screaming about a rabid moose on the loose (heh, rhyme).

She sprinted down the corridor, pushing through people and vaulting down a spiral flight of stairs, careful not to knock people over.

Louisa reached the ground floor and stopped dead in her tracks. The Kindly Ones were soaring above the shoppers in a wide circle. The shoppers hadn't really noticed, probably thinking they were mutant pigeons or they just didn't see the three demon ladies.

The Minotaur bellowed and the Furies turned. They simultaneously let out shrill battle cries and at least two dozen shoppers around her morphed into various demons- _dracaenae, empousi_ and a four headed hydra. There were also two hellhounds and a Chimera, its mother Enchilada or whatever her name was (Louisa wasn't too fussed) closing in on her.

"Dad, why? Just why?" Louisa asked, glaring up at the ceiling. Thunder rumbled. "Yeah, I know, bloody occupational hazards." She grumbled.

Well, today wasn't her day. Shoppers were either running away screaming or, the odd few, changed into demons- another hydra, a couple of Cyclopes bearing large, wooden bats about twice the size of Louisa and two Gorgons- Muriel and Seu-whatsherface or something like that.

Louisa notched an arrow and aimed at the Minotaur over her shoulder. The sonic boom arrow exploded in his face, sending a sonic boom (duh) a good ten metres in all directions. It pushed Louisa's hair in her face and she quickly tied it back up before summoning her sword.

She sighed and held her blade ready. "Here we go." She muttered.


	47. Some help is nice

Mortals were running past her, screams, shouts and children's cries filling the air. She felt her friend tense at her side and they both ran forward, pushing through the crowds to the source of their fear.

If they were honest, they nearly ran screaming away themselves, but that was not their way. There had to be nearly twenty, maybe a few more demons, including the Minotaur, surrounding one girl about their age armed only with a sword.

"We have to help her." He said. She nodded in agreement, drawing hunting knives from her sleeves. His sword appeared in his hand and together they charged in to help the girl, slashing down a few demons as they ran. She stared at them, confused, but was pulled to her senses as the Minotaur closed his mighty hand around her waist and lifted her clear off the ground. She cursed in him Latin and another language, burying her sword in his forearm. The horned beast roared in pain and anger, dropping her. She darted forward and buried her sword in his stomach as best she could.

They refocused on the other demons, leaving the girl to battle the Minotaur alone. He took the right side of the demon army and she took the left. Charging together and yelling at the top of their lungs, they stabbed, slashed and decapitated any demon that got in their way. Some were a challenge, not keen on exploding into yellow dust as their comrades did. Others, such as the _empousi_ tried to distract him with their unearthly beauty, but he saw through their trickery, angering them. The she-demons moved into their monster forms, lunging at him. He ducked one, beheaded the second and buried his sword to the hilt in the first's she-demon's chest. They disintegrated within seconds of each other, a dying wail and a curse on their lips.

She wasn't doing so bad herself, parrying a sword from a _dracaenae _and slamming her knife straight into the snake woman's eye. She screamed in agony, collapsing into a pile of yellow, sulphurous dust. Her sisters replaced her, snarling and hissing. The two Gorgons- thankfully, not Medusa- swarmed up behind her, blocking any form of exit. She slashed the throats of the _dracaenae_ before turning to face the Gorgon sisters. They extended their claws, hissing and snarling in delight. She could see it in their eyes- she was dinner.

Briefly, she glanced at the girl fighting the Minotaur and was pleased to see she was holding up on her own, having sliced the Minotaur's horns off, various slashes covering his limbs and torso. The girl kicked up one of the fallen horns and threw it as she would throw a knife. It thudded into the back of the first Gorgon and she melted in yellow ash. Her sister wailed in dismay and turned, charging the girl. The girl snatched up the second horn, embedding it deeply in the Minotaur's ribcage. He howled in rage and finally he disintegrated. The second Gorgon was about to rip the girl's head off, but was stopped with a horn to the face.

The girl blinked at her, before her sea green eyes swivelled to the boy. He was struggling against a few _empousi_ and _dracaenae_. The hellhounds, the Chimera and the Chimera's mother were prowling in the distance, waiting for the perfect moment to attack. The girl's sword shimmered and a metallic sea-green bow replaced it, a full quiver slung across her back. She loaded the bow with three arrows and fired carelessly, as it seemed, but the arrows found their targets in the centre of each _empousi_ challenging the boy. They died with their screams colouring the air, echoing in the near empty shopping mall. The snake women hissed and stabbed at the boy. He jumped out of range, before darting back in a slicing his sword through the first _dracaenae's _head. He bought his sword round in a violent slash as he latest victim disintegrated and his second and third victim followed suite.

The hellhounds and the Chimera pounced. The girl loaded her bow again, this time with a single arrow. She fired, not hitting any targets, but the arrow exploded directly between the hellhounds' heads, sending out a screech that made their ears ring. The Chimera shied away, shaking its head in disorientation. She loaded again, taking the time to aim. The Chimera looked up and snarled at them as she fired. The arrow landed straight in its eye, blinding it on the left side. The arrow exploded, sending out brilliant red, orange and yellow flames. The Chimera let out a pained howl, staggering from the force. Its wretched mother hissed, her forked tongue flicking over her thin lips. The Chimera regained its bearings and charged straight for the archer. Her allies had to deflect the poisonous snake tail with their blades. He managed to behead it, but that meant the beast would focus on him. That gave the girls clear shots of the monster's exposed throat. The archer loaded, motioning to the female acquaintance with a jerk of her head.

She hefted her knives and bolted forward, ducking under the demon's chin and stabbing upwards, leaving her knives buried to the hilt in the creature's jaw. It didn't have the chance to scream as the other girl fired four arrows. One landed in its good eye, another landed on its nose, the third on the demon's forehead and the fourth straight at it. The first arrow exploded in flames, the second and third sent electric currents through the Chimera's body while the fourth burst into a giant, weighted net that pinned the monster down while it slowly disintegrated.

"No!" Its mother screeched. "How could you do tha-?" The protest was cut off with a series of chokes and gurgles as an arrow suddenly protruded from her throat. Ichor boiled up and spewed down her chin as she fell to her knees and crumbled into yellow ash like her monstrous child.

All the monsters were gone. All that was left of their presence was the piles of yellow dust here and there.

"Who are ya?" The archer asked, studying the two warily. The two didn't get to answer as a shout cut through the silent air. The archer glanced round.

"Lou, where are you?"

"Here!" The girl- Lou- shouted. There were hurried footsteps and two women appeared. They looked similar, although one was blonde and the other brunette. The brunette's eyes were strange, yet intriguing- a mix of sky blue and bright amber.

"Are you OK?" The blonde woman asked.

"I'm OK. I had some help." Lou nodded at her two new allies. "Who are ya?" She asked again.

"We are praetors of Camp Jupiter. I am Reyna and this is Jason."

"I'm Louisa. This is my mom, Jessica 'n' my, uh, sister, Lizzy. What's Camp Jupiter?" Louisa frowned.

"It is a camp for people like you- demigods." Louisa looked interested.

"Ain't that a bit dangerous though? All those demigods in one place… how'd ya deal with monsters 'n' stuff?"

"Magical boundaries keep the monsters out. We and New Rome are safe."

"Ya sayin' that like I should know what it is." Reyna glanced at Jason and together they gave a brief explanation of Camp Jupiter and New Rome. By then, they heard shouts and sirens outside.

"We should go." Jessica said, resting her hand on her Louisa's shoulder. The bow and quiver shivered and a red and gold watch appeared on Louisa's left wrist.

"I call shotgun." She smirked.

* * *

Reyna and Jason hitched a ride with Louisa and her family. They discovered that Louisa had been adopted by Jessica nearly two years ago. Lizzy was Jessica' real daughter, having been recently tracked down and reunited with her mother two days ago, thanks to Louisa. They seemed like a good family nonetheless.

On the drive away from the mall, Reyna and Jason told Louisa more about Camp Jupiter. Louisa listened intently but scowled when they said she had to come with them for training and protection.

"I ain't goin' ta some stinkin' camp." She snarled.

"Lou, be nice." Jessica warned lightly. Louisa pulled a face and sat round in her seat, folding her arms stubbornly and blanking the praetors.

"You're a demigod. Camp Jupiter is the best place to be otherwise you'll get monster attacks daily."

"Monster attacks daily? Well, that's a surprise!" Louisa said sarcastically. "I've been bloody attacked by monsters every day for nearly six bloody years. I think I know what I'm doin'."

"I think you'll find extra training useful." Louisa opened her mouth to retort sarcastically when Jason cut across.

"We can give you proper armour so that it's safer if monsters do attack." Louisa stared at him, unimpressed.

"Lou, I-I think you should do it…" Jessica said haltingly. Louisa looked at her as if she had gone mad. "I know you don't want to go and I don't want you to go either, but if it helps keep you safe in the long run, then you should go."

"I don't want to." Louisa said stubbornly and firmly.

"You could give it a trial week or something." Lizzy suggested. "Like, two weeks there and if you don't like it, tell them where to shove their offer."

"That's a good idea." Jason agreed, smiling at Lizzy. She returned the smile. "Why not do that?"

"Why not do that?" Louisa repeated slowly with a mock thoughtful tone. "Hmm… oh, I don't want to. That's why."

"You're a stubborn cow, you know that?"

"It's demigod thing, Miss High 'n' Mighty praetor. Shut ya face."

"Lou!" Jessica protested.

"No, it's OK." Reyna abandoned the sweet talk and fixed Louisa with a glare of her own. "You don't know what you're missing. There are demigods who would be willing to accept someone of your skill into their cohorts, especially the Fifth Cohort. The training we provide can help you kill monsters a lot faster and easier and it will improve your fitness."

"Thrillin'- have ya ever thought of writin' for a newspaper or somethin'? Ya talk posh."

"Lou, just because she doesn't talk all slang and gangster-ish like you does not mean that she's posh."

"I'm sorry, but _praetor_, she sounds _posh_ 'n' she's got that snobby _posh_ look 'bout her- she's posh."

"We talked about jumping to conclusions, didn't we?"

"Yeah… but how many times were my conclusions right?" Jessica grumbled and continued driving. Louisa gave a smug smirk.

Reyna looked at Jason and could tell he was trying to devise a plan as well. It would take a lot of persuasion to get Louisa to join them on the return to Camp Jupiter, but they would do it.

"Who is your godly parent?" Jason asked.

"Who's yours?" Louisa retorted.

"My dad's Jupiter." Jason replied honestly.

"My mother's is Bellona."

"Bellona?"

"She's the Roman goddess of war."

"Roman…" Louisa repeated quietly. She opened her mouth to say something, but grimaced and kept quiet. "Right…"

"Who's your godly parent then?" Reyna asked. Louisa glanced at Jessica before replying.

"Neptune."

"Neptune?"

"Romans didn't like Neptune that much back in Roman times 'cos they didn't really like the sea." Louisa told them. "So I ain't goin' somewhere where my dad ain't appreciated."

"We have a temple for Neptune, but, as you said, we Romans prefer to stick to the land or skies rather than the sea, so his temple remains empty most of the time." Louisa scowled again.

"Lou, you should go. For the two weeks, just try that." Jessica insisted kindly.

"But-" Louisa started. Jessica shot her a sidelong glare and Louisa pulled a face, hunching her shoulders and folding her arms.

"Sulk all you like, girly, you're going."

"Ya can't make me." Louisa muttered. Jessica gave a devilish smile.

"Want to bet?" She challenged.

"Bring it." Louisa said, returning the challenge tenfold. Jessica raised her eyebrows, pursing her lips. She didn't talk for the rest of the journey home, which meant she was planning on how to get Louisa to go to this Camp for two weeks.

"You'll like New Rome." Jason said suddenly. He started describing the city and Louisa did show some interest, but caught Jessica smiling knowingly at her.

"It sounds crap." Louisa muttered, but she didn't seem very enthusiastic about the dis.

"You'll like it." Jason insisted. Louisa studied him for a few seconds.

"Holy shit, you're my cousin."

And that was it. The last three minutes of the car journey was in complete silence.

* * *

**Ta-da! One chocolate bar! One! That was all I had tonight and look what I've come up with! **


	48. Sisterly war

Louisa had been given a week to willingly go with Reyna and Jason to Camp Jupiter, otherwise they would make her. She waved it off with a scoff, a silent challenge. They could try, but it'll be their fault if she ended up with their blood on her hands.

On the third day, Harvey came round. Lizzy didn't know him, but was introduced. Harvey seemed nice, a powerless Superman. But she caught Louisa glaring at him and the odd glare he sent back. She didn't ask though. Harvey was taking Jessica out for dinner.

"Well, that's a surprise." Jessica smiled. She glanced at Louisa before looking at Lizzy. "This is a bit cheeky, but could you keep an eye on Lou for me?"

"I'd love to." Lizzy grinned.

"Ugh, I'm nearly twelve. I don't need a bloody baby-sitter."

"Oy, that bloody baby-sitter is your new sister. Shut up." Louisa smiled and Lizzy returned it. "Yeah, it's OK." Lizzy punched Louisa's arm in a friendly fashion. "We've got some catch-up to do, sis." Jessica smiled.

"Nothing about boys, clothes, hair, make-up or anything girly. She will kill you." Jessica advised.

"Really?" Lizzy glanced sidelong at Louisa curiously. "Right then- any good at Monopoly?" Louisa smirked.

"Prepare to be bankrupted." She teased.

"She cheats." Jessica said. "Lou, be good. Lizzy, make sure she's in bed by nine at the latest or she won't get up in the morning. Help yourself to food, but no pizza guys at eight o'clock, alright, Lou?"

"Yes…" Louisa said sweetly, looking innocent and angelic.

"I mean it." Jessica said, pointing at Louisa warningly. Jessica was trying for stern but her smile and the laugh in her tone didn't help. "Stay away from phones or anything electric. And no flooding the apartment."

"How many rules are there?" Lizzy laughed.

"With Lou- thousands."

"Rules were made to be broken." Louisa smiled.

"Tell me about it." Jessica sighed. She and Harvey left.

"Who is that guy?"

"Some pig-headed, two-faced git that's got Jessica wrapped around his little finger. Hate him."

"Oh."

"He's a son of Hecate as well."

"Hecate… don't know that one."

"Goddess of magic 'n' stuff."

"Oh…"

"Ya need ta do ya research."

* * *

Louisa had warned her, but Lizzy was severely bankrupted in the first five rounds. That led to a rematch in which Lizzy kept her money to herself and the spare money away from Louisa. She made sure Louisa didn't change what was on the Chance or Community cards she got- strangely, she always got ones that meant the other player had to give her money. "The gods are on my side, obviously." She smirked.

"Oh, shut up. Ooh, it's my birthday and every player has to give me ten."

"What? There's a birthday card?" Lizzy showed her the card. Louisa frowned. It took a minute for her to decipher the letters. "No fair." She said, handing over the ten miserably. She didn't let go.

"Lou, you'll tear it."

"No, you'll tear it."

"Stop it." Lizzy reached across and dug her finger into the point between Louisa's neck and shoulder. Louisa squirmed, protesting and letting go of the Monopoly money.

"Ow!" Louisa threw the dice at Lizzy's head.

"Ow!" Lizzy mimicked, covering her forehead with her hand. "Oh, you little cow." Louisa stuck her tongue out cheekily. "That's it; I'm _so _kicking your butt big time on this game."

"Good luck." Louisa smirked.

* * *

If Monopoly could get violent, they had a very violent game. Louisa knocked over any hotels or houses Lizzy had on the places she had bought. Lizzy grabbed the lid and bonked Louisa on the head with it and then they ended up in a tickle fight. Lizzy won that one, using her height and weight against Louisa, pinning the demigod to the floor and tickling her until she couldn't breathe.

"You've made me lose my place." Lizzy huffed, moving back and pulling Louisa up into a sitting position.

"I won." Louisa breathed, smiling.

"No, I don't think so." Lizzy jumped up and grabbed Louisa by the upper arms, pulling her to her feet and making her walk.

"Where're we goin'?" Lizzy didn't answer. "Lizzy…" She warned. They went into the kitchen and Lizzy had Louisa sit in a chair at the table. She rummaged in a drawer for under a minute and triumphantly turned round with a roll of Duct-tape. "That ain't fair…" Louisa got up and made a bolt for it, but Lizzy caught her, placing a strip of Duct-tape over Louisa' mouth. "Mm!" Louisa protested. Lizzy quickly taped Louisa's wrists together and then taped her hands to the counter. Louisa struggled against the tape as Lizzy took a picture on her cell phone and texted it to Jessica.

_Ta-da! _She put with the picture.

_Oh my gods, how did you do that?_

_Sheer skill :) _

_Wow… you can babysit more often. _

_I charge._

_That's OK. Now let Lou free before the plumbing gets broken._

_Plumbing gets broken?_

_You'll see. _

Jessica had a point- the plumbing was kind of in Louisa's control, what with water running through it all. Water shot out of the drain in the sink and smacked Lizzy in the face. Louisa's eyes glinted devilishly.

"I am _not_ letting you free now!" Another jet of water soaked Lizzy's T-shirt and she glared at Louisa. "If you can get out in five minutes, you can stay up for another ten minutes. If you can't you can go to bed ten minutes earlier." Louisa shook her head.

"Mmm-hmm-mm." She hummed.

"Sorry, what was that?" Lizzy smirked. Louisa stomped her foot in frustration and another stream of water shot out from the sink. "Will you stop that?!" Louisa shook her head defiantly and nodded at her hands. "You've got four minutes." Lizzy said, walking past Louisa. Louisa stuck her foot out at the last second and tripped Lizzy up. Lizzy staggered, but regained her balance. "I am slowly going off you."

"Mm-hmm-mm-mmm!" Louisa tried to say. Lizzy left, closing the door behind her.


End file.
